Dusk
by Arnavi
Summary: Aralyn Klinsman had never known safety in her short life. She had never been ordinary and that was her biggest regret. Upon the death of her sister, she assumes the responsibility of her nephew and niece, little realizing who awaits her - Damon Salvatore.
1. Prologue

_Dear all,_

_Hello! This is my first attempt at writing a Vampire Diaries Fanfic and I really hope it turns out to be much to your liking. I'm hoping for quite a few reviews. To talk about this story -_

_First off, its a Damon/OC story because I simply love the idea of pairing up our favorite antihero and absolute looker Damon Salvatore with a character who wouldn't consider him to be a second._

Summary reads as follows -

Aralyn Klinsman had never known safety in her short life. She had never been ordinary and that was her biggest regret. When the safety of her beloved sister and her husband was compromised in order to get to her, she assumes the custody and care of her niece and nephew and moves to Mystic Falls, Virginia promising them the one thing she could offer and the only thing she constantly kept running from. - safety and love. Never had she once thought she would find both in Mystic Falls, the very same under the most extraordinary and complicated of situations with a man who portrayed himself to be uncaring, unsympathetic, inhuman and incapable of love. He was no other than Damon Salvatore.

_**Disclaimer - I own nothing which concerns the characters of The Vampire Diaries save the modifications to the plot and the original characters to this plot.**_

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><p><strong><em>Dusk.<em>**

_**PROLOGUE:**_

The death of her sister had been a harsh blow on Lyn and only time knew how she would handle settling in her sister's shoes. Two months had coursed since the funeral of her beloved sister Lydia and her husband Arthur. Since then, her niece and nephew Amelia and Alec had lived under her care. The reason for their death had remained a mystery. A false story was leaked out to the near and dear ones which involved rash driving on a rainy night and an unfortunate accident, but Lyn knew better.

It was because they were special.

Special, just like her, just like Alec and Amelia.

They had been hunted in an effort to get to her, to get to their children. Another pang of guilt shot into Lyn's system like a thunderbolt. The feeling so strong, that it shook her very foundation. She looked at a sleeping Amy's face in the rearview mirror. She looked too young to lose her parents. Alec's face was expressionless. Earphones plugged, he gaze was focused on the picturesque scenery outside. Had Lyn not known him better, she'd have mistaken herself into believing that his mind was not elsewhere.

A defeated sigh escaped her lips as they continued their journey to the sleepy little town of Mystic Falls in Virginia. Anxiety about a million different things raced her mind. She believed she was cracking under the pressure, but she couldn't break. She had to be strong for them and for what she had promised to them – safety, security, happiness. Her shoulders felt heavy and tears threatened to spill but she pulled herself together.

Several hours of driving had exhausted the three of them, and it was only pertinent now to read the sign board as she took another turn to find a sign board which read in large antique letters, "Welcome to Mystic Falls, Virginia."

'_It was about time'_. She thought to herself.

"Rise and shine sweetheart." She called to little Amy as they made their way to 3185, Harrington Road, Mystic Falls, Virginia – the place she'd now call home.

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><p><em>Okay! I know this is a very very short piece, but things have only begun yet. Reviews would be my inspiration to write more, so please do review, I'll really be looking forward to them, to make my day! <em>

_Love,_

_Arnavi._


	2. First Sight

_Thanks for the review __**Love Motion.**__ Honestly, I'd never expected one this early! It sure did feel good. This is again, a rather short one, sort of aimed at setting the mood. Hope you enjoy reading it just as much I enjoyed writing it!_

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><p>Chapter 1:<p>

Spiraling down a thousand flights of stairs, her feet rebelled to obey her anxious mind – urging her to move forward constantly. She could not stop; her feet hadn't a choice but to befriend her mind in her present situation. Her breath hitched, heart beat quickened, she could feel the adrenalin rush through her veins as they took their natural course and filled her system. The monsters of her subconscious weren't ready to give up their cycle of torment just yet. No – they weren't satisfied yet. She found herself caught in the same dream that had now become all too familiar. The further she ran, the closer they got. Her feet hurt, but she had to keep running.

Lyn twitched in her giant double bed, uneasy and vexed in her slumber. The white satin-laced sheets that were wrapped around her slender figure radiated a sense of serenity, her body language said otherwise. The moon hung low, in all its glory that night. For some its glory would have been equivalent to the beauty one can only think of when an innocent little child is brought to this not-so-innocent world, for others, its glory could be related to the misery and loneliness one might feel on one of those winter nights when they would find themselves sitting alone by the window pane and thinking of the innumerable number of stories they'd have recited to that special someone they'd have.

Sleep for her, had been troublesome since the day she had moved into this small sleepy little town. For a heavy sleeper, it was quite unlikely to dream, more so be woken by tormenting ones. Disgruntled, she forced her eyes open. Beads of sweat adorned her forehead as she realized that her body was still very much in a fight-or-flight situation. The alarm clock on her side table told her that there was still 4 hours to go before her hectic schedule to commence.

Lyn let her eyes drop again, hoping sleep would take over soon. The cool breeze blowing into the room from the open windows gave her relief. She had nearly drifted off to sleep just when she was disturbingly awoken by the calls of a bird. It sounded like a crow. She slipped on her robe and moved to close the window, but the sight of the crow fixed her to her spot. She stood as if she was frozen, blank, uncomprehending. The crow was like no other – too big for its size, too black for its color and definitely too godly for its species.

She shook her head. A flood of relief engulfed her and she felt disoriented. This feeling was unusual. She looked once again at the crow and it was staring back at her. It'd eyes were a deep black and it scared her. It called to her again, but didn't move an inch from the branch it sat on. Clearly too vexed, Lyn closed the windows and pulled to curtains together with haste and returned to her bed.

It didn't take long for sleep to come over her although the big black crow didn't once fade from her dreams...

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><p>Damon Salvatore surely wasn't one who didn't pursue what intrigued him most. Of course his brother would never have approved of his strange fascinations but it would only have mattered to him to appease his brother had he really cared to look for his approval.<p>

145 years it had been, and if he continued being the promiscuous playboy of the town, many more years he would definitely see, targeting different women who would be his muse and entertain him the way he wanted them to – be his pet, be his stringed puppets!

For one as strikingly handsome as he, tasteful women were never a rarity. Damon had a fine taste in women and his new muse was definitely the aunt-of-two, new-in-town Aralyn Marie Kleinman. Tall, mysterious, beautiful, new – she fulfilled the criteria for his perfect prey. He found himself calculating his chances to make a sumptuous meal out of her, sipping his favorite bourbon. Tackling the little round-eyed-puppy-faced niece would never be a problem and the teenaged nephew would probably like to save his precious life by going over to the grill while he enjoyed his private time with their young aunt. Of course, there was no doubt that he'd make sure she had a good time too. Give and take – didn't it always work like that?

He heard the hurried footsteps of his younger brother approach towards the study.

"Late for school today, are we?" he smirked tauntingly. Damon never really understood his brother's obsession for leading a normal human life. It was so boring and monotonous and hence, he never missed an opportunity to taunt his brother – Stefan Salvatore.

"Oh you're back." he was a little startled, yes – but not surprised. With Damon, nothing could ever be predicated. With that curt reply, he grabbed his keys and sped to the door. The room was silent once again, with only the sound of cracking wood from the fire place interrupting in regular intervals.

He found his thoughts drifting in the direction of Stefan's unusual lifestyle – his animal diet, his righteousness which almost made Damon sick. Almost. And oh – his girlfriend. Yes definitely her – and her uncanny resemblance to Katherine. The mere thought of Katherine was enough to make his insides wreathe with disgust. The extremity of the emotion surprised him.

He found one face invading his space ever so often – Aralyn Marie Klinsman's face. Her high cheek bones, shaped eye brows, her deep hazel eyes, that sharp nose and those curved lips that refused to look anything but delicious even when analytical. He recalled their little encounter from the previous night.

The light satin night gown that clung to her body perfectly highlighted the curves of her young body, leaving little to ones imagination. He could recollect, her perfect shoulders, smooth skin, the swell of her whole bosom, her perfect waistline and that beatific face. Her wavy brown hair mischievously played with the night wind, refusing to be tamed. Damon found himself smirking at the thought of their encounter. The lady clearly had a liking to satin. He liked her already...

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><p><em>And there comes the elder Salvatore in style! Keep me in check if I do go a little overboard with Mr. Salvatore. I can't help but admire him and a beautiful woman!<em>

_Reviews! A few more please. I'm simply waiting to publish the next one and see the reactions again!_


	3. Chances

_Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews -** kari10** and **TinyDancer**. So, this is basically just a chapter which provides a hazy background about Lyn and her chance meeting - rather the FIRST chance meeting with our very own Mr. Delectable Salvatore :P_

_Lets see exactly what she thinks of him!_

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 2:<strong>

"Morning!"

Lyn was busy preparing pancakes for breakfast as her niece and nephew both made their way to the kitchen island.

"Morning fellas!" she tried to put her best smile on. Little Amelia was positively bouncing in her chair and Alec was scanning the fridge for a bottle of juice. "Top rack, left." She directed him.

"So all set for school, guys?" she couldn't digest the fact yet that she had left her high-paying, luxurious, and extremely respectable job in New York City to shift to the sleepy little town of Mystic Falls, Virginia and more so – teach and Administration of Justice and Political Sciences in the sole community college the town provided. She was positively dreading it.

The three of them finished their breakfast quickly and set off for the day. Lyn dropped Amy and Alec at school and headed to towards the community college, anxious as a freshman. She reasoned with herself that she had absolutely no reason to be worried about. She was after all one of the best attorneys in her firm when she had been in New York. She had won so many cases and constitutional law and international law were her specialty. Administration of Justice and Political Sciences would be cake walk for her.

Her first stop was the chancellor's office, followed by the staff room. Everyone was warm and welcoming and this put Lyn at tremendous ease with her environment. She was quick in being introduced to everyone and soon learned the names of all the other professors. Mr. Gosling who taught Victorian literature was a widower whose wife and son passed away not more than a year ago in an "animal attack." Mrs. Rushworth taught advanced calculus and trigonometry. She led a rather quite life, which was as pleasant as her pretty pink face. Mrs. Gonzalez was the foreign language professor who was in charge of teaching Spanish. The names were endless, the faces pleasant. It felt so much more relaxing to be sitting in this staff room, checking papers, talking to co-workers than working in the frenzied atmosphere in any law firm in NYC. This was also a new experience.

The bell for her first class rang and with nerves of steel and head held high she walked from the staff room towards her class, her fellow professors wishing her luck!

The class fell into silence upon her arrival as if they had been forbidden from speaking. Evidently, she had their full attention and she liked it. An attentive jury was always her cup of tea. She smiled.

"Hello everyone, I'm Aralyn Klinsman and I will be taking up two subjects with you this year. Administration of Justice and Political Sciences. I've practiced as an attorney in the State of New York and I hold honors in International Law from University of California." By now she could literally see students gaping at her.

"Any questions? Anyone?"

When no one questioned, she moved on. "Very good, I'll take that as a no. But since its our first class, why don't we have a small introduction?"

A boy in the corner raised his hand, his eyebrows joined, confusion evident. Lyn encouraged him to speak with a nod, "Well if you are a lawyer, what are you doing here?" he asked. And thus began her career as a professor.

All through the lecture, she noticed a black crow – the same black crow, sitting patiently on the branch of the tree shading her classroom.

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><p>"Hello princess!" Amelia's aunt stood by the door of the car while she walked out with a sullen face and a heavy bag.<p>

"Whats the matter love?" Amelia just shook her head.

"Oh its definitely not nothing so you better tell me what it is." Lyn persisted but Amy didn't so much as open her mouth. Amy's eyes were sad, and Lyn could guess why. Without so much as uttering a word, she took her bag and put it on the back seat and tucked Amy in her seat. Once she was done securing Amy's seat belt in place, she started towards the drivers seat, her eyes still fixed on Amy's sullen face. Suddenly, she bumped into something. It was hard, cold and unmoving. Lyn jerked behind, only to gaze into the brightest and deepest pair of blue eyes she had ever seen. They were captivating, they were mesmerizing, they were fascinating, they were everything they should have been. They were everything they shouldn't have been.

Her breathing hitched as her eyes wondered to different corners of that face. Chiseled features, high cheek bones, an angular face and a divine smell. Resisting something like that – was asking too much from a woman.

"I'm sorry.." she quickly muttered as she caught to man staring at her, analyzing her expressions.

A slow lazy smirk spread across his handsome face. If she thought he was too good-looking then, he was absolutely irresistible now.

_Focus, focus, _scolded herself.

_Amy. Yes, amy. Focus._

She waited for the man to move aside and give her way. He didn't. Her expressions were apparently too amusing to him. She decided to make a move herself but once again, he blocked her way. She shot him a disapproving look. It only cheered his spirits on.

She finally gave up, "What? What is it?" She asked frustrated.

He leaned close, dangerously close. Her heart thudded so loudly in her chest that it threatened to fall out of the ribcage anytime soon. Lyn stood paralyzed on her spot, her mind not being able to comprehend the situation.

"I'll see you at the dinner tonight..." He chuckled as if her was obtaining some sadistic pleasure in this whole encounter. She could feel his cold breath on the side of her neck. It gave her goose bumps, and then, he was gone. Just like that.

Lyn couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She stood frozen on the spot and had moved an inch. A million questions raced in her mind. Who was he? Why had he had such an effect on her? What had he meant by... I'll see you at dinner?

Dinner! It was then that she remembered about the Dinner party that had been arranged by Mayor Lockwood in her residence that night. Of course, Sheriff Forbes and Mayor Lockwood had personally extended the invitation but handling her hectic schedule was sufficient to make her forget. _Prioritize, Prioritize_. She admonished herself.

When she sat in the car, Amy's expressions hadn't changed. She still looked blank. Lyn knew she needed her time to get over the huge loss and it would take time, there was nothing she could do, which she already wasn't. It just hurt. Sighing she ruffled Amy's hair, muttering, "Its going to be okay little one. It'll all be fine." They remained silent during the journey home. All the while, Lyn could only think of the handsome stranger who had held her captive in her deep blue eyes. Just thinking of him brought goosebumps to her skin. She shuddered.

Stefan Salvatore watched from the edge of the football field, what had just occurred between his brother and Ms. Klinsman. It didn't take him long to realize that she was Damon's new muse. He shook his head, frustrated and returned for team practice.

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><p>She smelled just as delicious as her lips portrayed. Her soft skin was smoother than the satin that she loved so much. Damon hadn't seen another beauty like her. As he sat in the library sipping his bourbon, he kept thinking about Aralyn Marie Klinsman over and over again. He couldn't wait to see her again, tonight. It was going to be an interesting night...<p>

"What are you thinking about?" So engrossed in thought, he hadn't realized Stefan's return.

"Give me one good reason why I should tell you?" He replied back, smiling sarcastically.

"Its Ms. Klinsman, isn't it?"

"Ms. Klinsman? Seriously? MS. Klinsman? Is that seriously what you're calling her?" He almost sounded repulsed.

"I take it you've already introduced yourself?"

"Kinda, but you wouldn't possibly call that an introduction, no." Damon feigned to be contemplative as he recollected his last encounter with the gorgeous professor.

"Damon, whatever it is, don't think of it. Leave her be." Stefan interrupted.

"What are you? The official protector of this town?"

"No, but I do know you're better than what you're scheming." That belief in his eyes. Damon hated seeing that. It made hating Stefan all the more difficult. Agreed the two of them didn't exactly share the very normal sibling relationship but then again, what was even normal about the two of them.

"Dream on." he muttered to Stefan as he sped to his room. It wouldn't be long before he'd see her again.

Meanwhile, Stefan called his girlfriend Elena and confirmed the time he'd pick her up for the party.

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><p><em>And that is that. More coming up soon. I promise! :)<em>

_Be nice and review please!_


	4. The Guest

_Hello everyone! As promised, I come bearing the next chapter! :)_

_First off a huge thank you to all of you who reviewed - **Belle2010, Love Motion **and **Taisse. **Also, I'll not miss out on you guys who subscribed for the story alert, so a vote of thank to **cdsnow, RachelNicole523, Naty Fofy **_and **delenaforever1997**_**.** Its seeing your interest that I keep updating the story religiously. I must say, every time I get a review alert, I feel like just jumping online and publishing the next chapter :P_

_So what do we have in store today?_

_Lets check it out. Also - Season 3, Episode 5 - Klaus' confession! WOW. Now I can't HATE and DESPISE him any longer! Damn! :P_

_Anyway - Happy reading :)_

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 3:<strong>

Lyn was confused. There was not one person she could fall back on for second opinion. She sat on the edge of her bed, scattered with what seemed to be a million other dresses, defeated. She felt alone. She felt as if she was leading a life that wasn't her own. She wasn't used to staying in a huge house, having two children to take care of, to be responsible for, attending fancy dinner galas or cooking meals for lunch, dinner and breakfast. It had always been the kind of thing Lydia and Arthur had liked. She had been living their life from the past two months. She was growing tired of it, afraid she wouldn't be able to handle it as she thought she would. Late night coffee and case work was her idea of life. She loved the silence and tranquility of her cozy apartment in New York. As much as she loved her niece and nephew, she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't miss her life as it once had been.

"Aunt Lyn?" Amelia's little head peeped from the door.

"Yes darling." Lyn had always been good at suppressing her emotions and now was no different. She had done it so many times before, so would she now. It didn't matter anymore. Her voice didn't crack as she choked back her un-shed tears, a smile replaced her frown.

"I don't know what I should wear." Amy made a puppy face.

"Neither do I!" She laughed lightly. "Come on, lets go see what you have." And she towed the little one on her shoulder to her room.

After an hour of serious deliberation, both Lyn and Amy had finally something "decent" as she'd call it, to wear. Every other outfit she had rejected. One was too racy, the other too formal, the third too casual, the fourth too "New-York" until she had finally settled on a champagne colored chiffon strapless ruched gown. It was time once again to quit thinking about her past life and the sooner, the better. Half an hour later she walked down the stairs to find the awestruck face of Amy and Alec staring at her as if they had just seen the moon.

"Is something wrong?"

"Umm no. You look... great." Alec stammered while she ruffled his hair with a smile.

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><p>Stefan Salvatore stood amidst Elena and her friends although his attention was constantly fixed on his brother Damon. There was no telling what he might have in mind and with Damon – nothing could be predictable.<p>

Damon's interest suddenly spiked with the entrance of someone, when Stefan turned around to see who it was, he had just the answer. She looked nothing short of beautiful and elegant, much different from Katherine and more innocent than any of the women Damon had ever dated in the past. She was far from what Damon's average girl would ever be. Stefan was puzzled.

Meanwhile, as mayor Lockwood gracefully ushered her guests inside, Damon couldn't comprehend the sudden pull that he was experiencing towards Aralyn Kleinman. In that strapless champagne chiffon gown – she looked absolutely divine and quite the head turner that she was. Without even looking, Damon could say that every other male in the room had caught the young brunette's attention but she seemed oblivious to the fact.

"Aralyn, I'd like you to meet Damon Salvatore. His family was one of the founding families of this town. Damon, I'm sure you know Aralyn." Lyn finally had a name, she gave a contemplative smile and a nod.

"Its a pleasure." She said, as he took his hand in hers and kissed it. "Oh the pleasure is all mine." The man had a spark in his eyes, although she couldn't quite trace if it was one of deception or amusement. In his all black outfit he looked even more dangerously good-looking than he had this afternoon.

"I'll join you two in a while. Why don't you keep Ms. Klinsman company till then Damon?" Mayor Lockwood retired to greet her other guests.

"How do you like Mystic Falls so far?" Damon feigned disinterest. "The people around are a bit strange, don't you think?" Lyn threw him a challenging look, a wicked smile playing at the corner of her lips. Clearly she remembered their little encounter at the parking lot. He smirked, a little smug.

"Oh, very strange." Was his dramatic reply. "I can gather." she outwitted him. "Is it common practice for people to behave too intimate without introduction at first and then realize the place of normal conversation in this town Mr. Salvatore?" Sarcasm was dripping from every ounce of each word she spoke, a wicked smile playing at the corner of her lips. Clearly she wasn't pleased with what had occurred which only intrigued Damon more about her. Not many women were interesting enough and fewer still who would refuse have the nerve to be oblivious to his charm.

She shook her head and walked away before Damon could even answer, too engrossed in analyzing her figure. As she walked away, he couldn't take his eyes off her. She was an enigma who invited people to look at her. There was something so potent, so powerful, so strong and striking in her that kept pulling Damon towards her. He sighed and turned around to give attention to the glass of whiskey in his hand as she disappeared from sight.

Under normal circumstances he would have compelled the woman to forget the little encounter and definitely not have her refuse him. It was too much to take for his huge self ego and self pride. So what was stopping him now? He couldn't quite trace it. He turned around and watched her again as she now stood with Sheriff Forbes and Alaric. Head held high, the delicious red lips and their slow movement, the delicate hands...

"Did that just happen?" a shocked Elena asked Stefan standing a few feet away from Damon.

"Surprising he didn't pursue it further. I'm sure Damon is upto something. It isn't like him to leave something halfway." He muttered, eye brows arched.

"I think I'll go and talk to her." She smiled at Stefan and left his side.

Stefan made his way to the bar and joined Damon, "That didn't go as planned now did it?" he smirked. "You look too happy about it little brother? Lost interest in Elena already?" Damon feigned amusement coated with slight sarcasm.

"Not a chance." Stefan muttered and left him to himself.

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><p>"Lyn, this is my friend Elena. Elena Gilbert." Alec introduced the little brunette at his side.<p>

"Oh, hey Elena. Its nice to meet you." She smiled instantaneously.

"Hey! How are you liking Mystic Falls?" The same question, it was almost like Lyn had framed a standard answer. "Its a nice little place. A pleasant change after the hectic life I was used to." She realized in the course of their conversation that Mystic Falls was really a quite little place. Everyone knew about everyone else. These people had all grown up with each other from generation to generation.

"Lyn, meet Stefan Salvatore, my boyfriend." She introduced the tall lean young man with bronze hair next to her.

"Oh hello." There was a spark of recognition in her eyes. "Your brother and you don't share quite a lot of resemblance if I may say so." She was quick in her analysis. One was well-mannered, mild and rather courteous, while the other was extremely good-looking, dangerous and not courteous to say in the least.

"I take it you've already met Damon." He gave a slight smile, understanding.

The course of the conversation drifted from one topic to another as smooth as silk. She was introduced to almost all the families who were present. A peculiarity she noticed among all of them was most of the families had atleast one of their members who had died of an alleged "animal attack".

"You'd want to be careful and never venture into the woods late at night." Sheriff Forbes had warned her. "Some pretty nasty and suspicious things happening around here." It had her intrigued. She would have to be extra careful in a town like this.

_Perfect, just perfect!_ She thought sarcastically.

Although the Sheriff and Mayor looked perfectly calm and pleasant, she knew there was something that wasn't the way they'd have liked it to be – and it was something big. The lines of worry were evident on their face. She positively didn't want to delve into the matter further. She knew what she needed to do and it was to keep away from trouble.

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><p>"Garrett Miller. Its a pleasure." The name had Damon's interest spiked once more. The name spelled trouble and he had every reason to believe things weren't going to turn out well. It wasn't everyday one saw a ripper walking into town after all.<p>

"Hello Garrett." He made his presence known to the suave vampire.

"Damon." The short dark haired man smiled.

"Didn't know you were paying a visit?" Damon's inquisitiveness got the better out of him.

"Ahh, sad to see your old friend, are you?" Garrett joked, while Damon just smirked. He was too busy thinking about how the arrival of the new vampire would alter the course of events in Mystic Falls. However, the two of them slipped into comfortable chit-chat. Apparently there was quite a bit of catching up to do.

For the womanizer that he was, scanning the crowd, Garrett's eyes fell on the girl who danced with Stefan and he was quickly taken aback. "She is the Petrova doppelganger?" He asked, incredulous and wide-eyed. Damon eyed him suspiciously. It was turning out to be a quite night for Damon and he wasn't particularly enjoying it.

Gulping down another shot of Vodka, he muttered sarcastically to his friend, "Don't even think about it."

"I wasn't thinking anything." His defence was rather innocent, if only someone hadn't known him better. "Although I must have to say – Stefan didn't quite move on now, did he?" He smirked sarcastically.

Damon knew Garrett's style of hunting. Parties to him were the source of his meal. It always went like that – the same method, the same ripping, the signature of every vampire was what showed his personality and Garrett wasn't an exception. If anything – he was gory and unscrupulous even in Damon's standards. Charm, seduce, make love, feed and dispose - that was Garrett Miller.

It didn't take Damon long to realize his choice for the night. His eyes rested on the same figure who had occupied his thoughts for the night. A nerve pulled in his body and out of un-designed instinct, Damon found himself pinning Garrett to the side wall, hissing menacingly, "Don't you dare."

"Wow wow wow, easy man." Damon let Garrett out of his steely grip as the gravity of his reaction to a simple stare suddenly dawned upon him. The feeling was alien to him for a very long time and he couldn't quite trace it.

"Hit a nerve now, did I?" Garrett snickered snidely, "Ya whatever" Damon muttered as the two of them walked down to the bar, grabbing a glass of whiskey, irritated at the sudden burst of emotions that coursed through him - the emotions he fought to supress every waking moment. Gulping his drink down he looked at the woman who stood at a distance smiling charmingly - the reason for such distress. Damn her for stirring him out of his comfort zone. He wasn't enjoying it.

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><p><em>Hmm, Damon bordering on over-protectiveness? I wonder why! :P<em>

_I'm simply loving toying with his brain for a few. It was about time, don't you think? Haha!_

_Please do let me know how you liked this chapter._

_I can assure you, theres a good revelation coming up in the next one! Surprise surprise! :)_

_Review quickly so I can update you guys with the next one! _


	5. Revelation

_Hi once again!_

_I was so pleased to see such a lot of Story Alerts and Favourite Story Alerts in my mailbox today. A huge thank you to all of you guys. As I always mention names - I'll do it again - **delenaforever1997**, thank you for your review. You were the only one who reviewed (P.S. - You rock \m/) and **AlisonDiLaurentis, Rayne91, XSoundXTrackXOfXMyXSummerX, BrielleHalliwell1018 **(Thats a pretty name Brielle, if its real name!) thank you for subscribing for the story alerts. I request you to leave a review. It makes things more interactive and much more fun. It takes only a minute guys. Be kind and show some MORE love :P_

_(I guess I'm being greedy now. LOL)_

_Anyway - yes - THIS chapter IS supposed to be a surprise and I was thinking how I'd get around to actually dealing with what was so "special" about Lyn. I had to do quite a bit of reading up before finally deciding her specialty so that I don't sound like a little fool making completely impossible things up! :D_

_Okay thats enough talk now. Happy reading! :)_

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 4:<strong>

It had been a long night. Lyn parked her black Audi A8 in the garage and was just about exit the door when a sudden movement on the front yard caught her immediate attention. Her eyes remained fixed, searching for the source of the movement. It had been a quite couple of months and as much as she enjoyed her tranquil surroundings, the worry vexed her. Were they here? Could they have possibly located the three of them?

A chill ran down her spine, her breathing hitched and she stayed fixed to her seat. She realized it had been unusually quiet from the past few months. She wasn't complaining but the feeling was uncanny.

"Lyn?" Alec's calls fell on deaf years. He touched her shoulder lightly, trying to shake her out of her brief reverie. "Are you alright?" She shook her head and nodded mechanically, the crease lines on her forehead however did not cease to make their presence felt.

They made their way to the safety of their house but just as they were on the porch, that familiar rustle of leaves made the three of them turn around in confusion. They looked at each other, fear evident on their faces.

Garrett loved seeing their reactions. _"The thrill lies in the chase"_ he'd always said. He lurked in the shadows like an agile snake, waiting to strike at the right opportunity – seconds before they'd step into the threshold of their safe haven. His eyes remained fixed on the beautiful brunette whose searching eyes held a strange pull. He could sense her power. He could feel the strong aura that emanated from every pore of her body, yet he couldn't trace her species. She intrigued him which was the reason why he had come back to explore the mysterious pull he felt towards this brunette beauty after having fed and fed well if it could be said.

"The two of you get inside, I'll handle this." He could hear her say and chuckled ghostly. Little did the fair maiden know what she was "handling". Garrett smirked. He would savor the taste of her blood, her power on his lips conveniently.

"But-" Alec protested, "Go" she repeated, yet again, the sudden movement in the yard scared the three of them. They could feel the presence of another. "Lock the doors and don't let anyone in even if they ask. Move it guys." She hurried Alec and Amy, closing the door behind. She closed her eyes and breathed heavily. It was time.

Taking one cautious step after another, she looked for the uninvited guest. A devilish smile played on her lips as she sensed a presence behind her.

"Hullo, my sweet" the voice was dark, yet seductive. It was alien and am uncannily familiar sense of calm engulfed her.

The dazzling stranger sped towards her at the speed of light but there was a sudden halt in his tracks. He pushed himself further, harder, but couldn't move. He looked once again at his prey, black murderous veins surrounding his eyes, like that of a demon. She held one of her hand out, as if controlling his movement, fire rolled off the other, not once burning her skin. It shocked him. It felt to him as if a telekinetic shield was suppressing him.

She moved close, that familiar devilish smirk never once leaving her beatific face. Her feet however stopped and she gasped at the sight of the demon that stood before her. Her heart beat quickened, steps faltered and sweat covered her forehead. The sight of the demon was one she hadn't ever seen before. It was dark, alarming and abhorrent. Her concentration was quickly failing her as she found it hard to control his movements. The stranger realized this and with rekindled energy kept pushing against the unknown force till Lyn found herself running towards her house.

Just as he was about to prance on his prey, the fire rolled off her hand and she held his face, his painful screeching filling the otherwise tranquil night air. The force of the attack had her pressed to the ground, but she had to run. She collected herself and ran in haste, but was pulled down by a pair of hands and she struggled to get away. Her mind had shut down and her body wasn't strong enough to resist the assault. Ordinarily, she was stronger than the rest of the humans, but her power was of no avail.

The demon once again got to his feet, looking at her with lustful, hungry eyes. Fire rolled off Lyn's palms again, but just as she was about to make another attempt to attack, she stared baffled as the strangers body collapsed on her. With a shriek, she pushed it off herself and watched as his face turned a putrid gray, veins protruding on the surface of his pale complexion. It wasn't long before she saw the stake across his heart and that was when she realized what the man was.

As she backed away from the corpse that lay on the ground, she found herself pressed against an icy, hard surface. Goosebumps rose on her skin when the cold breath fell on her bare shoulders. She closed her eyes, gulping, not knowing what to do.

The stranger that stood behind her had an intoxicating scent, a scent that wasn't alien. She tried to recollect, failing at every attempt. Slowly, she turned around to find herself face to face with those familiar pair of mesmerizing blues.

Damon gazed into the divine hazel the way they gazed into his blues. Her scent had been intoxicating and her actions had thrown him off guard. He had watched her actions with fire, entranced. She only interested him further. Her skin glistened with fear and sweat and his eyes instinctively went to the curve of her neck. Fresh wounds were scattered on her forearms, oozing delectable blood. Her blood smelled abnormally sweet. The familiar blood-lust returned to haunt his throat as the murderous black veins surfaced onto his face and he felt his fangs protrude.

The gradual change in his face made Lyn vertiginous. The momentary feeling of relief changed to atrocious fear and with hands ablaze, she jarred his handsome face with all her strength. She ran inside her house as fast as her feet could carry her leaving a screaming and cursing Damon outside on her front yard.

"Aunt Lyn", a crying Amy hugged her as she collapsed against the door, panting. Alec hurried to her side, staring with anxious concern at her torn dress and small wounds which were healing themselves. She held Amy close, needing to know that they were safe. Alec kneeled down beside her, resting his head on her shoulder, as she stroked his cheek, comforting and assuring herself more than him.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, unknowingly. She couldn't comprehend her emotions. She dared not close her eyes, afraid the abominable sights would return to haunt her.

"What were they?" Alec's voice cracked.

"_Vampires."_ She whispered, too scared to say it out loud. A pregnant silence surrounded the three of them as little Amy snuggled deeper into the comfort of her aunt's form. They sat there for a long time, still digesting the way the events of the night had taken their course.

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><p>Damon Salvatore stood somewhere deep in the woods, watching the three of them. Her power had spiked his interest in her. He could feel himself getting lost in her enigma. Aralyn Klinsman was definitely more than just human and he had to know exactly what. Watching the three of them sit against the door in silence; Damon slowly retreated from his spot. It wouldn't be long before he'd see her again.<p>

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><p><em>I'm nervous already - How was it?<em>

_What do you think Lyn is? Any guesses? Come on - let me know what you're thinking._

_It will take just a minute. PLEASE! _

_How about I try to bribe you? Review and get the next update sooner :P_


	6. Questions and Answers

_Hey everyone!_

_Here is the next one. I've been seeing quite a few story alerts and favorite story alerts and I couldn't be happier. So before anything - a hearty thanks to **HayatoxAkemi, MissCaityGrace, Randy's Viperette, TopazEyes137, BrielleHalliwell1018 and Belles2010** for all the love :)_

_Happy Reading! :)_

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 5:<strong>_

Damon walked into the Salvatore boarding house with a sullen look. If anyone would have told him then that he resembled his usually as he'd like to describe "brooding" brother, there could be no telling if they'd be his next meal.

It had been two hours since he'd left Aralyn Klinsman's residence after sneaking around to check if there was possibly something he could sum up from her actions. It appeared she lived a rather quiet life with the two miniatures in tow.

What then was she? He couldn't fathom. In his 145 years, he hadn't seen one like her.

Was she a witch? He couldn't say.

Had she been a witch, she'd have done her witchy juju and chanted some spells off her head like the Bennett witch usually did. She hadn't spoken a word. He kept rebutting and contradicting his own observations.

She looked petite but was extremely powerful.

The force with which Garrett was pulling her leg should have made them snap, but they remained intact.

She was rolling fire on her palms but her skin hadn't so much as even been scarred by the heat.

Strangely she was able to hold a vampire from moving towards her.

He walked out from the shower, still thinking. As his thoughts drifted to the direction in which the events of the night had unfurled, he felt anger rise in the pit of his stomach thinking about Garrett. He had silently followed Garrett, knowing he wasn't one to trust as he kept staring at the brunette who had caught his attention.

This caused Damon's mind to harp on to another important subject. He simply couldn't fathom why he was playing the role of the knight in shining armor for the damsel in distress. His face held a funny expression as he tried to find a suitable reason to justify his actions. He needed alcohol and he needed it quick.

Stefan walked into the library to find a contemplative Damon. It was unusual for him to not bring someone home from party, but he was happy nonetheless. He sat with a book in his hand, opposite to his brother, pretending to read.

"Not babysitting your girlfriend?" Damon asked lazily, his gaze still on the burning wood that cracked.

Stefan paid no heed. Damon had been rather silent and additionally grumpy than usual upon the demise of Rose. He pretended to not care, but Stefan knew otherwise.

He finally gave up on his drink, not much in the mood to talk, silently sped up to his room, leaving a confused Stefan in the library. It was dangerous to have an awfully quite Damon, especially with the circumstances they were in.

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><p>Lyn couldn't once afford to close her eyes. Snuggled close to her body was Amy. Lyn looked down at her little niece who looked like an image of peace; her sleep was innocent and unperturbed. She kept thinking repeatedly of Damon and her near death experience that had coursed. She was terrified. Never before had she even remotely considered the possibility of something supernatural to exist.<p>

Once again, the same black crow sat outside her window, scrutinizing her actions. Its eyes transfixed on her as she kept thinking about her discovery. It was evident that she realized what she had encountered that night.

She turned around to switch off the table lamp that stood tall on the side table and she swore she could see the same black crow with twinkling eyes stare at her through the closed windows. Exhausted mentally and physically, she decided to try to sleep before a new day demanded her presence.

The tension from the previous night had carried itself for the next three days. Aralyn had tried to avoid Damon or his brother Stefan successfully but she couldn't tell who was who or what in the present case. As much as wanted to report the situation to Sherriff Forbes knowing that she would be the only one who could come to her rescue, she couldn't afford to trade her family's little secret.

After Amy and Alec had left for school, she decided to head to Mystic Grill. An outing was exactly what she needed to distract herself from the horrors of the other night. She had already placed her order for sumptuous ravioli and was staring down at her cell phone when she noticed the silhouette of a man in front of her. She didn't have to look twice to know who it was.

Dressed in black jeans, black shirt and a black jacket stood Damon Salvatore with his signature smirk in place. She looked at him with a strange expression, as if contemplating and calculating her chances of escape.

"Hello there, honey?" Damon greeted her slyly. She continued to give him the suspicious stare. Her mind was telling her to run, her body said otherwise. Damon invited himself to join the brunette maiden, that familiar smirk never once leaving his face.

She mustered up the guts to speak her mind, "I need answers." She was curt.

"Only if I have mine." He smirked and sipped on some bourbon which he had carried in tow from the bar. She eyed him suspiciously, contemplating.

"Don't worry, I won't bite." He joked, causing her breathing to hitch again. He chuckled darkly. He simply loved toying with people's mind.

"What are you?" She asked, her eyes determined.

"Oh I didn't know we'd begun 20 questions already!" He smirked. "Honey, I'm a vampire. A smart little head like yours should have already figured that out by now." He feigned being unimpressed.

"My turn," Damon continued."What are you?"

She stood to make her way towards the door, when Damon caught her arm jerking her to a standstill.

"Aah aah aah, answers." He forced her to sit, she however wasn't one who would budge.

"Figure it out yourself." She untangled his fingers from her arm, and made her way towards her car.

It didn't take long for Damon to corner her again, "What are you?" Lyn found herself sandwiched between Damon and the door of her car. His blue eyes peering into hers.

"You will tell me what you are." She heard him speak in a commanding voice and her eyebrows wiggled in confusion. The mockery of the situation hit her when she realized that she was having inappropriate thoughts about a crazed psychotic vampire who had saved her life a few days ago and was now trying to force her into speaking her mind to him.

"Give me one good reason." She pushed him away, knowing well that she was walking on thin ice. Any moment now, he could probably snap her neck, drain her dry.

Damon was shocked. Compulsion was alien to her. He hadn't even digested the shock when she pulled him close to her. It appeared she was hiding from something or someone. He turned around slightly to catch a glimpse."Shh. Don't move." She hissed at him. "Stay still. Please." She whispered as her eyes lingered on the man wearing a black hooded jacket. They knew; they knew where she was, and they were coming. Her fingers trembled and Damon noticed it as her grip on his jacket loosened.

"Well I love you too sweetheart" he smirked and held her closer as he felt her relax.

She pushed away, staring at him awkwardly. "Don't give me that look." He shook his head holding his finger in front of him.

"Now, are you giving me the answers or should we do it my way?" He smirked, looking back and fro between Aralyn and the man in the black hooded jacket.

She knew she had to give up, "I like coffee, how about you?" she gave a sarcastic smile and walked into mystic grill and Damon took it as a cue to follow her.

As she walked into Mystic Grill, he couldn't help but notice her perfect figure. Strong and beautiful, he was attracted towards her like a moth towards a flame. Aralyn Klinsman was growing on him, although at the wrong time and under the worst circumstances, but she was.

Lyn noticed Damon's preoccupation with the busty little blonde who sat at the opposite corner of the grill. She gave him a lecherous look and he seemed to enjoy the attention immensely.

She cleared her throat, in an attempt to make her presence felt. It was strange how his presence made her feel safe when in fact she should have been running as far away from him as possible. He was after all a monster – a creature of the dark that survived on human blood.

"Ah, yes. Where were we again?" She gave him an annoyed look, "Mr. Salvatore if you aren't interested then please allow me to leave, I have some place else to be at." She said grudgingly.

"Ooh, I like women in control." He continued. "I'm still waiting for my answer gorgeous." His smirk instantly faded and was replaced by menacing eyes staring right into her soul.

She felt uncomfortable under his powerful stare, as if she was naked, vulnerable, exposed. She shied away, looking outside the window. "My family, we are different from the others. We like to call ourselves gifted." She began.

"Gifted?" Damon couldn't fathom he was listening to an explanation so silly.

"Human evolution." She stated simply. "People evolve over years, genes transform and it gives way to more advanced beings. Those who evolve are often gifted with heightened abilities, while others continue leading their lives regularly. Mutation – as science would like to call it." A theory so incredulous wasn't something Damon was buying.

"Oh honey, as much as I'd love to buy your little story, I need the truth." The sudden change of his expressions was something that amused Lyn. As much as she wanted to laugh, anger got the better of her. She placed her hand on Damon's, momentarily relishing his touch and then warming it, "Aaah!" Damon quickly retrieved his partially burned hand away from under hers. She smirked, "that Mr. Salvatore is called Pyrokinesis."

Both of them sat in silence, staring at each other for a while, neither knowing what to say to the other. If he had a secret to keep, she had hers.

"I'll make you a deal," she finally broke the silence, leaning forward, a smile playing on her lips, her hands slowly moving to reach for Damon's as he suspiciously kept them to himself, experiencing one little shock already. He had no intention of getting himself burned.

"I'm listening." He urged.

"Stay out of my business and I stay out of yours. Keep my secret, and I'll keep yours." Damon admired her grit, "Give me a reason why I'd agree to that little condition of yours?" he pushed.

"You see," she leaned in closer, "now the founding families wouldn't quite want to know that one among their council is himself what they are trying to eradicate, would they?" she smirked, triumphant.

"Who was that you were hiding from?" the vampire pressed.

"As I said, you stay out of my business and I stay out of yours." She gave a tight smile.

"Oh you know I'd love to so long as you don't use me as a shield or a cover from some psyched unknown force." He retorted.

Just as she was about to reply, her cell phone came to life.

"Alec?" her tone immediately changed to one of worry. Damon played the role of a peeping tom, always being the curious one.

"Okay listen, listen, just calm down. Get Amelia and go to some place crowded, I'll be right there. Okay?" Lyn stood at once, swiftly collecting her belongings. "I'd love to sit and chat with you darling, but duty calls." She winked at Damon, before exiting the grill. Lyn had no idea where from she had acquired her new found confidence and fearlessness; nonetheless, she thanked her lucky stars for it. The last thing she wanted was to be waging war with a supernatural being believed to be a demon.

Damon downed another glass of Bourbon before following Aralyn to her next destination. Clearly, he hadn't got enough of her, yet.

He watched her from the parking lot, ushering the two little ones into her SUV but she stood transfixed onto her spot upon noticing someone at a distance. Damon's eyes instantly traced the path and rested on the same man with the black hooded jacket. He wasn't one to take no for an answer and he would get to the bottom of the matter.

Lyn hurried into the car and drove back home like there was no tomorrow. They had been spotted and it wouldn't be long before they'd be captured. Her mind raced, trying to search for a million different solutions but none of them appealed.

Much to her annoyance on the front porch of her house, she found Damon leaning against the railing.

"Not now." She waved her hand at him, but he wouldn't listen. He caught hold of her wrists and stopped her in her tracks. Alec braced himself for attack, but Lyn stopped him. "I know him. Get inside." Her voice was commanding. Alec didn't move, his eyes narrowing at Damon. A spark of radiation flew from his hands and Damon stood there, once again, astounded. "Alec-" She called his name again.

"I am not a child." He cut her off before she could complete her sentence and stomped off into the house with Amelia in tow.

"Great. Just great." She sighed. "Thank you for that." She stood with her hands on her hips.

"Looks like you could use some help." Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her, gesturing towards the man who now stood on the road, looking directly towards their house.

"Who is he Aralyn?" he asked again. She was panic-stricken already. "He shouldn't be here, no, he shouldn't be here." She started mumbling incoherently. She found her feet moving backwards until her back hit the wall.

"Hey, hey, look at me." Damon found himself comforting her, as he held her face in his palms. "Aralyn, Aralyn!" He raised his voice to catch her attention and her eyes darted to his face. In her hazel eyes that shown with confidence before, there was immense fear, sadness, grief. Something inside him was pulling him towards her sorrow. He couldn't place it. Before he could stop himself, "What is it that you want me to do?" he questioned.

She searched his eyes, looking for the sincerity in his words. Trusting a vampire was the last thing she could ever do, yet she was held powerless in front of the unwelcome visitor. The road was empty apart from the lone man standing there, eyes ablaze. Lyn saw the black veins resurface around Damon's black eyes and she faltered back a step, scared again. She quickly composed herself as she realized his next action. Before he could speed up to the unknown man, she stopped him, "Damon, no!"

He hissed at her, puzzled. "Don't kill him. It'll make situations worse." She pleaded. The fangs from his mouth retreated and the black veins disappeared gradually, but in seconds, he was out of her sight.

As much an inkling he had to kill the strange man that stood before him, Damon could only remember what Aralyn had said, _"It'll make situations worse."_ Like he cared, but nonetheless, chose to honor her words.

"You will forget what you have seen. You came to mystic falls and you didn't find who you were looking for." Damon's voice was a sing song monotone which was repeated by the man. A moment later, he was shaking his head, giving Damon a strange look and pressing a few digits on his cell phone. The message had been passed – they weren't in Mystic Falls.

Aralyn breathed a sigh of relief upon his departure.

Damon's cell phone buzzed and his brow creased upon seeing the text. "You owe me one babe." He winked at Lyn and disappeared from sight in seconds. She stood there a couple of minutes, too stunned to reply. A small smile found its way to the curve of her mouth as she saw his silhouette climb into a black Camero and speed out of sight.

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><p><em>Reviews are always welcome! :)<em>


	7. The Complication

_I'm glad so many of you are liking the story so far. I must say I'm enjoying writing every single word of it. Keep the love coming! :)_

_A special thanks to - **Silently Tearful, Hail Canadiana, AkiraTheDarknessHuntress, **for subscribing for the story alert and a huge hug to **TinyDancer365, MissCaityGrace **for reviewing and cheering me on to write. _

_Heres the next chapter!_

_Happy reading! :)_

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><p>CHAPTER 6:<p>

Damon led his new girlfriend to the door, her scarf in his hand. "I'm late. This is such a crazy day. I'm covering the historical society's high tea." She informed, arranging the brooch on her coat.

"Ooh, thrilling!" Damon feigned interest. "Yeah well, it's for some visiting writer. Apparently, he is writing a book on small-town Virginia."

"Writer? What's his name?" Damon wasn't aware of the new town guest, suspecting highly that it would be someone they never expected.

"Let me think. Elijah Smith, I think"

"Smith? He's using Smith now?" Damon was disappointed. He'd expected the original to at the very least use something more creative than the most common American last name.

Before she exited, Damon made sure that his new girlfriend 'Andie Star' had her cover story secured in her head. He had to blend in after all and Andie Star provided him exactly the platform he was looking for.

Alaric Saltzman watched the two of them embrace as he entered the Salvatore boarding house while Andie exited.

After the brief introduction and chit chat, Damon held the small glass vial and an antique small iron dagger in his hand. "Jonathan Gilbert gave me this to kill Elijah." He explained the reasoning, not quite believing the truth in his own words.

"You think it's a setup?" Alaric asked, equally suspicious.

"Could be. I mean the guy is a weasel. Wouldn't put anything past him." He maneuvered his way to the mantel piece, bourbon in his hand.

It was about time he had met Elijah and to him, nothing but the Historical Society tea served as the right opportunity.

"Tell me you're not gonna kill him at the tea party." Alaric huffed; he was getting better and better at reading his mind.

Damon gave him a contemplative look, all he wanted was to know his endgame before killing him. He smirked downing his drink and showed Alaric the door as he stood to depart.

This was going to be an interesting day.

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><p>"Aralyn, it's such a pleasure to see you here." Carol Lockwood gave her a warm hug. "I'm glad you could make it."<p>

"Would never have missed it!" She mused as Mayor Lockwood introduced her to their guest of honor. "Aralyn I'd like you to meet Elijah Smith. Elijah – this is Aralyn." They shook hands. The cold temperature of his skin made her realize what he was. She tried to hide her shock but felt uncomfortable under his strong gaze. He kept looking at her as if trying to analyze her. Evidently, even he could sense her power. She was out of the ordinary and he could tell.

Damon was greeted by Andie at the entrance, surprised that he had actually taken the initiative to join her at the tea party. He gave her a little peck on her lips leaving a confused Jenna staring at the two of them and made his way to meet Carol Lockwood. It was time he and Elijah officially met.

Lyn was sitting on the table overlooking the pond outside the Lockwood mansion. "Hey, you must be Aralyn Klinsman?" she heard a feminine voice behind her, turning around to see a woman with long blond hair and a friendly smile. "Yes, I'm sorry…" she held her hand out in confusion, not knowing the woman who was keeping her company.

"I'm Jenna. Jenna Sommers." She shook her hand, "Elena and Jeremy's aunt." Yes, she remembered now, only too well. They slipped into comfortable conversation although her eyes always kept darting in the direction of another blonde lady with… Damon Salvatore?

Jenna noticed her staring in the same direction, "That is my friend Andie Star and I'm sure you know Damon by now." She sounded a little, disappointed maybe? "Come on, I'll introduce the two of you."

"Andie, meet Aralyn, Aralyn, Andie." She introduced the two women. Damon's eyes momentarily widened with pleasure which was slowly replaced by a lazy smirk. Black ringlet curls hung down on her slender shoulders. The nude colored, black net wrap dress that she wore, made her look nothing less than stunning. Lyn couldn't help but notice Damon's arm wrapped around Andie's waist and for some inexplicable reason, the idea didn't quite appeal to her. She looked at him and back at his hand, while an unfamiliar pang of… jealousy gripped her. She was being silly, surely. Damon excused himself but Lyn's eyes couldn't help but follow his tall frame. Just as her head turned to see him approach the study, he turned around. His eyes met hers and once again and he winked, his signature smirk still in place. The air of tension between the two of them rekindled and Lyn found her heart racing again. She quickly turned around to take a quick sip of her drink and continued her conversation with Jenna, Andie and Liz Forbes.

Unfortunately for her, her eyes kept searching for the handsome vampire.

Elijah examined the books in the late Richard Lockwood's office.

"What can I do for you, Damon?" he enquired, he didn't have to turn to sense Damon's presence.

Damon walked over, "I was hoping we could have a word." Before he could continue, Elijah quickly interrupted, "Where Elena?"

"Safe with Stefan. They're laying low. You know, but of a werewolf problem." He threw a challenging cocky smirk towards Elijah.

"Aah, so I heard, yes." There was an air of royalty around him. His confidence was such that it even made the fearless Damon Salvatore want to judge his words, but when was he ever one for caution?

"I'm sure you did, since it was your witch that saved the day!" He mused, sarcastically.

"You are welcome." However, Damon wasn't done with his little confrontation yet, "Which adds to my confusion on exactly why you are here." Challenge, challenges. He was testing Elijah's patience and that wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do under the present circumstances.

"Why don't you just stay focused on keeping Elena safe and leave the rest to me." Elijah started towards the door, but Damon interceded, "Not good enough."

It happened all too suddenly, one moment, Damon was challenging Elijah and the next moment, he was pinned against the wall, Elijah's hand circled his neck, holding him there as if he was but a tiny moth. "You young vampires. So arrogant. How dare you come in here and challenge me?" He said menacingly.

"You can't kill me man. Its not part of the deal." With that concluding statement, Elijah drove a pencil through Damon's jugular as Damon coughed and collapsed on the desk, one hand on his wound.

"I'm an original. Show a little respect. The moment you cease to be of use to me, you're dead. Thank your lucky stars I was in a generous mood today." With those final words he had just walked out when he was met at the door by the very woman who had held the majority of his attention throughout the party. She looked at him with shocked eyes. He smiled generously. Placing one hand on her soft cheeks, he ran his finger along her jaw-line. "You my dear will forget what you just heard and will continue to do what you were here for." She saw his pupils expand and contract but made sure to hold her ground long after he was gone. Slowly, she walked into the office of Richard Lockwood where she found Damon nursing his bleeding neck with tissue papers.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" She ran towards him, helping him up. His wound was healing and his black shirt was stained. "I don't need your help" he panted, trying to move away from her.

"Stop being a douche and let me get you up." She ignored his protests and helped him to the nearest chair. The tissues that stuck to the side of his neck were a deep red. "Are vampires even supposed to bleed?" she felt silly asking such a question as she fixed her gaze on his wound, cleaning it gently with a fresh tissue. He hissed at the contact of her warm skin against his frigid one.

"Does it hurt?" she asked worried, he let out a snarky ghostly chuckle, "Honey, I'm a vampire, I don't feel anything." Once again, his facial expressions amused Lyn more than angering her. "Sure," she stifled back a laugh. "That's why you were cursing when I walked in – because you didn't feel anything." Her expression remained indifferent, pragmatic. "Of course." Sarcasm colored her words very subtly.

"Why are you even here?" Damon asked, irritated. After being stabbed by an original, the last thing he wanted was a verbal face off with the woman he was inexplicably physically attracted to.

"You'd rather I wasn't? Okay. Thank can be arranged." She stood at once, making her way to the door when Damon's hand caught hold of her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "I thought you didn't want me here Mr. Salvatore."

"I never said that", Damon huffed. She let him relax for a while. She had many questions, yes but they could wait. She watched with fascination his light breathing, his long dark lashes as his eyes remained closed, the contours of his face, his high cheek bones.

"I don't mind you staring at me as long as you don't call me pretty." He smirked, his eyes still closed. Lyn was surprised momentarily. She wondered how he'd known the fact that she was staring at him. Some infuriatingly handsome vampire he was.

"Oh you're VERY pretty." She took a dig at him and Damon wrinkled his nose at the sound of that.

Their little playful conversation was put to a halt with the arrival of Alaric. "Ms. Klinsman." Alaric greeted. "Mr. Saltzman." She reciprocated, nodding, the smile still playing on her lips.

"I need to go. Take care of that pretty little neck of yours now. I'll check on you later." She winked at Damon before exiting. Damon's gaze followed the sway of her firm bottom and the click of high stilettos.

"What was that again?" A confused Alaric asked Damon.

* * *

><p>Back at the Salvatore boarding house, Damon narrated the events of the day to an exhausted Alaric. It looked like he wasn't the only one who was having a sore of a day. The two of them sat in the study sipping their drink.<p>

"What's up with you and… what's her name? The Klinsman woman?" Alaric asked, downing his drink.

"Oh, she's something, definitely something to keep." The familiar tug at the lips returned to Damon's returned at the thought of her. Alaric had more pressing issues to handle.

"What about the news chick?"

"Now she's got spunk, huh?" He sure was having a ball.

"Look, just please don't kill her okay? She's friends with Jenna and its bad enough I have to lie to her. I hate the lies." His phone came to life and he groaned reading the text.

"What?"

"I have to go, need to pick Jenna up from this… never mind. I'll show myself out."

"Good luck." Damon mocked, chuckling.

A loud thud sounded on the entrance as Damon picked up the dagger to examine it. Suspicious, he went to examine the source to find a wounded Alaric on the floor, stake pierced in his stomach, bleeding. Suddenly, out of never someone jumped on his back, pushing a syringe through his neck. Vervain.

Damon tried to fight but the vervain was too concentrated for him to even keep his eyes open. He collapsed to the ground.

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><p><em>Would love to hear from you guys! :)<em>


	8. Myths and Theories

_Hi everyone! Sorry I took so long to update. At this time of the year, we celebrate the new year in the part of the world where I live - India. :)_

_I've been kind of busy in celebrations. Nonetheless, I did not forget writing. So heres to more Aralyn/Damon. I think you'll like what follows._

_Do let me know! _

_Happy Reading :)_

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><p><strong><em>CHAPTER 7:<em>**

Lyn walked out of the shower, towel drying her hair. She was exhausted from grading papers and preparing for the following day's course material. If teaching and grading wasn't enough, there was a house to look after with two kids in tow. Correction – it was worse – one kid and one moody teenager. Alec had still been cross with her following the other day's incident and no amount of pacifying had done the trick. In the end she had decided to just leave him by himself hoping sooner or later, he would come around. She hadn't been wrong.

A light knock on the door disturbed her thought process. She secured her bathrobe and opened the door.

"Your phone. It's been ringing for a while." Alec held out her cell phone for her.

"When did you get back?" She asked, confused. "Just a few minutes ago." He gave her a tight smile, a nod and left.

She checked her phone. It was Jenna. Surprised, she called her back.

"Hey Jenna. I'm sorry, I couldn't receive your call earlier." She apologized.

"_Oh it's absolutely fine, I just wanted to ask you if you were free this weekend?"_ She couldn't recollect if she had plans.

"Yeah, I believe I am."

"_Great. Would you like to go out for lunch? I insist on it."_ Lyn couldn't find a reason to turn down the offer. In fact she felt quite the contrary.

"Oh, I'd love it." Her cell phone beeped. Apparently there was a message waiting to be read.

"_So I'll see you this Saturday?" _Jenna confirmed, "Yes, absolutely!" she smiled.

As soon as she was done, she checked her cell phone. _"I thought you were going to check on me."_ She didn't have to think twice before knowing who it was from. She wondered from where he had managed to acquire her number.

The handsome vampire was growing on her and her closeness to him thrilled her as much as scared her. She shoved that thought aside, slipping into a comfortable pair of jeans and a shirt and decided to pay him a visit. Of all the people in the town, she had chosen to befriend a vampire. So much for laying low.

She walked down to see Alec helping his sister with her homework. "Where are you going?" Amelia asked, her little head popping up from her books, Alec's gaze followed.

"Just going over to meet a friend. Will you guys be fine?" She couldn't forget under any circumstance that they were her first priority.

"Alec, you'll take care right?" she encouraged. The teenager gave a slight smile and nodded. She smiled back.

"Call me when you need." She kissed Amy before heading towards the Salvatore boarding house.

As she neared the Salvatore boarding house, she could hear a struggle, someone grunting. She debated if it was a good time to pay a visit. She knew nothing about the man other than the fact that he was a handsome predator who had saved her life on one occasion and loved being cocky around people. The closer she got, the louder and clearer the sounds became.

Again, she heard the familiar grunting and curiosity engulfed her mind. She hurried towards the door, pushing it open, despite its locks with her telekinetic power. She was shocked at the sights that lay in front of her. An unconscious Alaric and a chained and bleeding Damon held her gaze. Her eyes widened with shock as they met with Damon's.

"Araly.." before Damon could complete, he watched Lyn's lifeless, mangled body hit the floor.

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><p><em>Hushed voices.<em>

_A numbing pain._

_The familiar scent of liquor._

Sensation was slowly returning to the mangled body that lay on the cold hard wooden floor. The mind still couldn't comprehend its surroundings. It was still dark inside with not a single spec of clarity. A light groan escaped her mouth. Her body struggled to change position. She could feel the cells multiplying, the tissues regenerating. It wouldn't be long now.

Hard hands caressed her face. She wasn't strong enough to open her eyes yet. Abruptly, she sat erect, her head still dislocated, she pulled it together, the sound of her cracking bones were subdued by her loud scream. Slowly, she lifted her eyelids open. For a moment she couldn't fathom her surroundings. The place seemed only too alien to her.

"Rise and shine." She heard the familiar voice chime near her ears and she jerked her head to the side.

Relief flooded through her veins as she realized it was the Salvatore boarding house, but that only confused her further. She tried to recollect the visions she'd witnessed before the darkness that engulfed her mind. She looked between Damon and Alaric with suspicious eyes as did they look at her.

"What exactly happened here?" she expected an answer.

"How are you alive?" Damon counter questioned.

"You were chained." She pointed out. "You were dead." He retorted.

"I never die." She stated matter-of-factly. "And how are you still alive?" She shot Alaric accusing glances.

She felt herself being lifted from the ground and quickly realized she was in Damon's arms. "Put me down." She chided.

"You sure?" his eyebrows wiggled and he smirked; she realized what he meant. "Don't you dare." She warned and he chuckled.

She couldn't put two and two together. "What happened here?" she looked around the disheveled study.

"A little werewolf attack and divine intervention." Damon muttered sarcastically, settling Lyn down on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"How did you survive?" Alaric was too incredulous to see Aralyn in flesh and blood. She was dead as per Damon's verdict. Damon wasn't waiting for that explanation any longer. He turned around to face her from behind the counter. "Stop staring at me like that." She made her way to the bar, fixing herself a drink.

"Its cellular regeneration." She muttered, clearly annoyed with her drink. "Geez, do you have something more refined for a lady to drink." She left the glass on the counter and Damon picked it up.

"I don't understand." Alaric asked, confused.

"Mutation." Damon explained. "Our friend here is a sexy mutant who keeps surprising us all the time". Damon wiggled his eyebrows causing Lyn to roll her eyes. The guy never gave up!

"But how is that even possible, I thought it was always fiction."

"Well if vampires, werewolves and witches can exist, this is natural science." She reasoned. "What I don't understand however is how you are still alive. I saw that stake. It went right through your abdomen. How are you still here?" She challenged.

Damon smirked, "Inquisitive, isn't she?"

"Oh shut up." She looked at Alaric, anxious for an answer as he played with his ring. "The ring brings you back to life." He stated simply. "Charmed by a witch." Damon completed. The entirety of the situation and the abnormality of the conversation hadn't sunk into Lyn's mind yet.

Her cell phone rang at an abnormally loud range. "Ugh for heaven's sake switch the wretched thing off will you. It's been ringing since forever." It was Alec. She checked her watch. It had been four hours since her disappearance.

"_Where have you been? We've been trying to call you from the past hour and half. Do you realize we were half out of our mind?"_ She'd never been chided like a six year old in her life, let alone by her own nephew.

"Alec, I'm fine. I'll be home in 10. Don't worry, okay?" She hung up, exhausted.

"Some guardian." Damon taunted.

"Oh you're one to talk? I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you in the first place." Her retorts were icy and quick. Damon enjoyed this bickering.

She nodded lightly to Alaric with a tight smile on her face before walking out through the door of the boarding house. Next time he wouldn't let her get away, Damon thought.

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><p>Damon couldn't fathom what Elijah had meant by <em>"Too bad she died, Niklaus would have loved her."<em>

Was it possible that he knew about Aralyn?

Was she aware that he knew about her?

She had been absolutely immune to his compulsion as well as an original's compulsion. Her power was too strong. He could sense it from a mile away as he stood on the porch of her house at this instant.

Damon felt the familiar tug in himself as her silhouette emerged on the window in an attempt to pull the curtains.

The man that stood on her front porch held her gaze and she felt her breathing stop. He looked at her and smirked, knowing he had caught her attention.

Lyn looked back at Amy's sleeping form. She had been terrified and still insisted on sleeping in the same room. She pulled the covers tightly around her and kissed her on the forehead before heading downstairs, slipping into her robe.

As soon as she opened the door, Damon's face appeared only inches away from hers.

His familiar intoxicating scent had her swooning with pleasure and it was minutes before she realized how dangerously close their lips were. All she had to do was just lean further for their lips to meet. She contemplated for a while, her eyes fixed on his perfect, shapely lips. The thing that happened next was something which was completely out of her control. Her lips crashed against his with a force so strong that Damon almost stammered back if he hadn't caught her in place. His arms encircled her waist while hers were busy tracing the lines of his face. He turned them around in inhuman pace and within seconds, her back was making contact with the cold paneling of the exteriors of the house. His fingers had already begun running along the length of her shapely legs making Lyn moan with pleasure. Her left leg wrapped around his hip and he tilted her head trying to gain access into her mouth. His lips were intense, hungry and passionate. It was as if he hadn't been satiated in a very long time. It was purely animalistic. Damon deepened the kiss, and waited for her to open up to him, give him more access and eventually she did. She tugged at the hair at the nape of his neck. Damon growled slightly and his fangs lightly grazed her soft lower lips.

Her blood was delicious. It was the most exquisite taste he could ever register.

Sweeter, more potent and a delicious thick red. Damon couldn't stop himself as he sucked on her wound for the delectable scarlet liquor it held.

The unusual metallic taste of blood touched Lyn's taste buds and immediately her eyes flew open. Comprehending her precarious situation, she pushed Damon away from herself, both of them panting for air like caged animals. Her actions had no reason to be justified with. She had acted purely on impulse.

"Missed me so much?" Damon couldn't resist being his cocky self despite the sudden adrenalin rush he was experiencing. Her blood was his opium. Just one taste of it had triggered a giddy sensation in the pits of his stomach. He wanted more. Much more. The little wound on her luscious lips healed gradually.

"You compelled me." She argued, not believing for even a moment, the words that escaped her mouth. "You are immune to compulsion, who are you kidding?" Damon moved closer, towering over her, "Let me guess, you were simply waiting for the opportunity to practically devour me." He smirked, amused.

"Is there a reason for which you're here?" It was her chance to get annoyed now, cheering Damon's spirits on.

"Just thought I'd pay a visit. Now who knew I'd get lucky?" He wiggled his eyebrows, leaning in again.

"Ah ah ah ah." Lyn pushed him away with her finger. "Enough compulsion for one night, don't you think?"

"Denial won't get you anywhere honey." He urged as she sat on the steps of her front porch. He joined her, lounging lazily on his elbows, one leg bent, the other stretched out. They sat in silence for a while. Neither of them uttering a word. The night air wafted through Lyn's hair and Damon once again caught her intoxicating scent, struggling to control his insatiable hunger.

"Who were they Damon?" she broke the pregnant silence.

"I'll trade that answer with one of yours." He bargained.

"You never talk straight, do you?" she sighed. It hadn't been even fifteen minutes before they were practically devouring each other's mouths and now they sat together in the cold night trying to make sensible conversation. "Alright. Just one." She agreed.

He nodded in agreement. "Who are you running from?"

"The company." Her voice was hushed. Damon waited for her to continue but she didn't.

"The company?" He questioned, urging her to go on. "That's two questions. I'd bargained only for one Mr. Salvatore." She smirked. A few more minutes passed by before she finally spoke again. "The company was established as a covert organization in the 1950s by what we called ourselves as _"post humans"_ then – an evolved species from the general human race. Their main goal was to help the other evolved humans who were much like them. We couldn't come out in the open with our abilities under any circumstance. If we did, we'd be caged, experimented on and treated as test subjects." She sighed. Her eyes were staring at a distant spot as if entranced, as if she were reliving all the events that she narrated.

"So why are you running away from them if they work for your protection?" Damon asked, confused, trying to understand.

"They don't. That was my biggest mistake – to think that they would protect me." The tenor of her voice suddenly changed into a harsher one, Damon turned to look at her face, curious.

"Help other evolved humans – to find and protect them, even _if it meant eliminating the dangerous ones_." She stressed on the later bit of her sentence. She was positively shuddering. He waited for her to continue.

"Damon I…" she looked at him, thinking if she should continue. His eyes were sincere, they always were. She felt the proverbial jerk in her heart as she stared into his eyes, afraid of being lost in them if she didn't look away soon. "I… Let's just say I was a perfect weapon of mass destruction in their eyes." She concluded.

"Throwing around a bit of fire and controlling someone's action doesn't make you wonder-woman." He muttered sarcastically.

"Yes, but power mimicry does." She snapped at his insensitivity. His head jerked to look at her with the most bewildered expression she had ever seen on someone. "Why else do you think I can do multiple things together Damon? The fire, the mind games, the shield, the immunity to compulsion. Don't you see it?"

"You forgot the _'ahh-I'm-alive'_ bit." He added, still contemplating the words that escaped her mouth. She didn't utter a word about that and preferred to be tight-lipped on the issue. "I was a threat if I wasn't controlled, or so they thought." She let out a small sarcastic laugh. "So I ran and kept running and have been running ever since – from them, from family, from the ones I loved, from everyone who even posed a small threat to me." She concluded.

"But you're still here, and so am I." Damon wondered why. She knew fully well what he was and the fact that he should have been the last person she should be making conversation to in the middle of the night sitting outside the safety of her own house where he couldn't have harmed her, yet here she sat. "But I'm still here." She smiled, saying nothing more.

"Werewolves. And an original. That's what they were." Damon's abrupt confession caught her interest.

"An original?"

"Elijah Smith." Damon stated simply. "Known to be the source of the species. The strongest and almost invincible." She remembered Damon's wound. "He stabbed you. Didn't he?" Damon merely looked back at her, confirming her suspicion. "Ever the one for challenge, yes." She nodded. "Why is he here though? I take it, it's not every day an original walks into a town equivalent to a blot on the map and stab a cocky vampire unless you really did hit a nerve?"

"Aren't you supposed to be the good aunt who cleans up after the kids and goes to bed?" He knew he didn't want her to leave but where was the fun when there wasn't a bit of bickering involved.

"Am I?" She wasn't going to leave without having her answers. "It'll be a while." He muttered.

"Then I guess I have a while."

Damon didn't want to leave. Not just yet and certainly not without her. For once in days he felt an unfamiliar sense of duty to stay by someone's side. Someone who was not Elena. Someone who wanted to listen. "Alright then. Remember there are many protagonists to this story, but I'm the only one that matters." He smirked his signature cocky expression intact.

"Why does that sound completely unbelievable?" She laughed lightly and Damon wondered how he'd like to hear that chiming sound more often.

It was time he came clean. Why did he suddenly feel like he owed her that much… Only time would tell.

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><p>He could smell the blood that ran in her veins.<p>

Distinctly human.

He watched the two of them engrossed in conversation. Her head lightly tilted back, hands covering her mouth as she laughed to his sarcastic humor. Never once did they touch throughout the night, but the tension between them was evident. It bothered the stranger who stood afar, watching the two of them.

The last time he had seen her, her mangled body lay crippled on the floor. How then was she still alive, smelling distinctly human without as much as a trace of vampire blood in her body. He would know in due time.

Elijah retreated into the darkness of the night just as swiftly as he had entered. She would have been the perfect little gift for his little brother, if only he had had compassion in his nonexistent heart.

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><p><em>I would love reviews! Keep them coming :)<em>


	9. Fear

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for reviewing **_TinyDancer_**, I shall always have a special place for you in my heart! :) And **_StarDust153, SabrineCelle, TykiPyon, RosaParks232 _**for subscribing for the story alerts! I'm glad you guys like the story so far.

Heres the next one -

Happy Reading! :)

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 8:<strong>_

The mirror reflected the frame of a woman whose eyes were lost, deep in thought as she mechanically brushed her hair. Lyn still couldn't fathom how things in her life had gotten so complicated. It was falling apart like a card house. Lydia and Arthur's death had set the ball rolling in motion and her arrival in Mystic Falls had only acted as the perfect catalyst.

The sound of the closing door shook her out of her reverie. She could hear the voice of the young teens grow clearer as she descended the stairs into the living room. They suddenly fell silent upon her arrival.

"Hey!" Alec greeted her. "Thought you were at college?" He wasn't aware of the change in her schedule.

"Umm, ya well – I need to be there in two hours or so. Schedule change. Why don't you introduce me to your friends?" She tried to put on her best smile.

"Oh, hey Ms. Klinsman, I'm Caroline." The tall girl with long blond tresses came forward and hugged her almost immediately. From last night's conversation, she figured that she was definitely the one Damon so amusedly called Vampire Barbie. Her temperature was cold, raising goose bumps on her hand. "Sheriff Forbes's daughter, aren't you?" She smiled as Caroline nodded. "It's a pleasure honey. But call me Lyn, Miss Klinsman makes me sound old!" Caroline's face lit up with a bright smile. From her innocent expression, no one would have guessed she wasn't human.

"I'm Jeremy. You've probably met my sister Elena and my Aunt Jenna?" The boy had a charming face, much like Elena's, even the shade of their hair color was the identical. "Hey Jeremy." She flashed her million dollar smile.

"And you must be Bonnie." She looked at the girl who stood on her left, who was keenly staring at her, analytical. Eventually her face broke into a smile. "That will be me, yes." Bonnie gave Lyn a gentle hug and suddenly felt a jolt of unexpected impulse run up her spine. So she hadn't been wrong. There was definitely something far too potent about her.

"So what are you guys up to?" She asked casually. "Oh nothing much really. We thought we'd just catch up. It's been a while." Alec shrugged. Lyn decided to leave them by themselves. "Let me know if you guys want anything." She called out as she headed towards the kitchen.

"Okay. So are we ready?" Bonnie held an expectant look on her face as Alec nodded, doubt apparent on his.

It didn't take Lyn a second glance to know Alec was lying. His expressions were perfectly smooth and had she not known him better, she would have missed the way his voice cracked slightly. She tried to fish through his thoughts without much avail. She found him thinking of the latest episode of CSI. It didn't worry her, she'd pry it out of him sooner or later, anyway.

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><p>Greta's fiery eyes snapped open. She felt a gruesome pang of pain incarcerate her head. She screamed in pain.<p>

"Are you alright, love?" The tall man with blond hair, standing in front of her enquired, with not a speck of concern colouring his words.

"Make it go." She screamed and wreathed in pain, but he kept staring at her, moving not an inch.

After what seemed like hours, Greta finally breathed a sigh of relief, exhausted, she collapsed to the ground, not having the energy to so much as blink. "Is she dead?" The warlock asked in disbelief seeing the lifeless body of Greta Martin.

"Oh she cannot die else the purpose would be defeated, won't it?" The blond haired man smiled wickedly. "She'll be fine." He walked away with effortless grace.

It was hours before Greta finally came back to consciousness. She abruptly sat up. "What happened?" she looked around confused. "You my dear, hold the answer to that question." The same smooth voice spoke from behind her. She instantly turned around to meet his blue eyes, his scent too enthralling. "Elena Gilbert." She smirked. A small furrow creased the man's forehead. "That is the name of your doppelganger." His facial expressions suddenly changed to a more staid one. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." She confirmed before giving away the bad news, "Getting to her will be tough. Seems like some witch is working her magic up her. I can't see very clearly." She sounded distressed.

"Then try harder my dear." The man smiled challengingly. "And I want my backup in place, love."

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><p>Elijah watched with great interest as the young woman exited the door of the community college and headed towards the parking lot. It was about time he made his presence felt.<p>

"Miss Klinsman." His tenor was warm and friendly but face, expressionless. He had an aura of superiority and confidence so strong that his words called for Lyn's urgent attention and she stopped in her tracks as if being struck by a bolt of lightning.

"Mr. Smith." She stammered a while, carefully composing herself quickly.

"Perhaps we could have a little walk?" he offered her his hand. Lyn tried to comprehend Elijah's sudden interest in her. She quickly thought of a convenient excuse, "I'm sorry Mr. Smith, I'm afraid I can't provide you with much of the town's history. I just moved in here a few weeks ago." Her tight lipped smile however wasn't convincing enough to stop Elijah. He stepped closer, "You want to come for a walk with me." His steely grip on her arm bothered her as much as it hurt her skin. She jerked away from him. "No, I'm not." She revolted.

Elijah's eyebrows arched with surprise. "You're immune to my compulsion which makes me wonder… what are you?" His fingers once again made contact with her skin as he skimmed them on her jaw line. She immediately grabbed it, a small jolt of fire charring his cold hand. He jerked it away, flexing his jaw – clearly annoyed.

"Stay away from me." She said menacingly, not bringing the desired effect on the original's face but enough to make him step away. Throughout the journey home, her hands trembled on the steering wheel of her car. She didn't know what was coming her way and it wasn't a very good feeling.

She parked in front of her house and leaned her head on the head rest, closing her eyes to breathe.

"_Klaus. You need to see this." A girl with wheatish complexion chimed._

"_What is this, my dear?" The voice was smooth, almost lyrical._

"_I can't determine. The power she channels is beyond my comprehension."They were seeing her._

Lyn's eyes snapped open. She had never dreamt of things in her sleep before. These visions, this ability wasn't one she had ever acquired which could mean only one thing – the presence of one another, just like them – a mutant. Her eyes searched for an unfamiliar figure, but without any success.

Carefully, she maneuvered her way into the house looking out for the stranger. She could hear the rattling of utensils at a resonating frequency.

_Alec! _

She ran into the dining room to find Alec demonstrating his ability in front of Bonnie, Jeremy and Caroline. "Alec!" she screamed, shocked. "What do you think you're doing?" the utensils stopped rattling and the burn marks on his skin healed quickly.

"It's okay. They know." He explained, crossing from the other side of the room to where she was standing. "They know everything Lyn, I've lived with them all my life, before you got here. They know." He held her by her shoulder as a chill ran down her spine. Her shoulders slumped and she let out a shaky breath that she didn't know she was holding.

"We all have our secrets to keep." Bonnie smiled at her reassuringly with a hand on her shoulder. She nodded with a tired smile. "Its… just been a long day. I'll…" she noticed Amy's absence. "Where is Amy?" she looked around.

"Uh, she was in her room last I checked." Alec's wasn't too certain. Lyn flew up the stairs as fast as she could and pushed open the door to Amy's room. Much to her shock, she found the room empty, the curtains of the window flying in the soft breeze.

"Amy?" She called out. She wasn't in the bathroom either. Alec hadn't found her in the other rooms on the first level either. A wave of helplessness and fear engulfed her. She couldn't fathom where Amy would be. Hot tears rushed down her face. Nothing seemed to be going right. The day just kept getting worse.

Even after twenty minutes Amy was nowhere in sight. Frantic, she started calling Amy's friends enquiring if she was with them but it didn't seem so. She had almost lost all hope. She sat down on the couch, hands placed on either side of her head, unable to think what her next action would be. She had to find her niece, but how?

It was time to resort to her last reliable source. She made her way to the kitchen to grab the phone but just as she was about to call Sheriff Forbes, she heard the familiar voice of a little girl's giggles and a man's comfortable laughter. She rushed outside and the sight drained all the blood from her face.

Elijah held Amy's little fingers in his hands while her other hand played with his hair. She noticed Lyn standing at the door of the backyard and ran towards her.

"Aunt Lyn, look – I made a new friend." She jumped in excitement and ran to hug her. Lyn held Amy close as she gave Elijah an icy glare. He simply smirked, triumphant.

"Sweetheart, why don't you go inside." She stroked the child's hair, her tone oddly somber and poised. Amy looked at her aunt with doubtful eyes. "It'll be a minute, I promise."

"I didn't expect an original to stoop down to that level." She said forebodingly as she walked closer to him. Elijah admired her bravado and was incredulous that she was actually challenging an original little aware of his power. "I was merely trying to acquaint myself with your family Ms. Klinsman." He emphasized on the unnecessary formality.

"Oh knock it off." She snapped. "My family should be none of your business. I have told you once and I'll say it one last time. Stay away." All her poise and calm were now replaced by pure fury. Elijah could feel the heat radiating from her toned body, enjoying the warmth as much as he hated her lack of respect for him. She however wasn't sure if she would be able to control her actions any longer and so she stalked off into her safe haven.

The muscles on Elijah's jaws flexed. It wasn't a wound he would close without reprisal. He watched her retreating form and the way she slammed the door shut behind her. It was humiliating. He would have his revenge – in time.

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><p><em>Okay, so is Elijah bad or good? :P<em>

_I love messing around with her sometimes! Really :D LOL._

_Reviews please! :) _


	10. Feel

_Hey guys!_

_I've seen a lot of alert subscriptions of late. I request you to please leave a review. It really helps to keep me going, without it I really don't feel like continuing. **TinyDancer, **thank you! You have been a constant support! :)_

_Here is the next chapter!_

_Happy reading :)_

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 9:<strong>_

Bonnie had already called Damon and reiterated the events of the day in their entirety right from how they had pried answers out of Luka to the startling discovery about Alec and the Klinsman family to Elijah's surprise visit to Aralyn. However, there was one piece of information that bothered him more than the rest – Bonnie had said, Lyn was a crucial element for breaking Klaus's curse. She hadn't figured out how, but she knew. This changed things and it changed things dramatically.

He found himself standing in front of Lyn's door, waiting for someone to open. He was taken aback to see the figure that stood on the other side. Her face was ashen and pale, eyes drooping and red, and hair tied in a loose bun which didn't quite keep it all together. She looked exhausted from crying.

"What happened?" Damon asked, a furrow appearing on the bridge of his nose.

"It's been a long day. Come on in." The invitation had been sent although Damon wondered if she did so unknowingly because once he'd cross the threshold, there was no turning back."You sure?" he arched and eyebrow.

She sighed, "Look if you had to kill me – you'd have done it long back. Just come in."

"I heard about your encounter with Elijah." He stated casually as they headed towards the kitchen where she got back to scrubbing the kitchen island. "Hmm." Her reply was non committal.

He waited for her to speak, but she continued scrubbing. She gasped when she turned around to wash her hands. He stood only inches away, "Darling, we can sit in silence as long as you like, but that'll get us nowhere." His voice was soft, eyes inquisitive as if they were searching for answers in her tearing ones. She pulled out her gloves and leaned against kitchen counter, her hands folded across her chest, holding herself tightly as if she'd fall apart if she didn't.

Damon didn't push her as she continued looking away. As minutes passed and the silence grew, Damon moved closer and placed his palms on either side of her face, making her look straight at him. He didn't need to say another word. Silent tears escaped from her eyes and she leaned into his figure, seeking comfort. Neither of them said another word, he just held her. "Why is this happening to me Damon?" she cried silently. "Wasn't it enough to deal with Lydia and Arthur's death? To shoulder their responsibilities? I wasn't ready for this Damon… I wasn't ready for this." She sobbed into his shirt.

"Hey, hey, listen. You are not alone in this, okay. We're all there for you. We'll be looking out for you. I'll be looking out for you." The sincerity of his words stunned him as he realized what he was promising.

"What is he doing here?" Alec's voice echoed from the door.

Damon swiftly moved from around the counter to stand directly in front of Alec "I'll tell you what I'm doing here. _I _am informing your aunt about something which should have come from _you_ hours before." Lyn stood puzzled.

"What are you talking about?" her voice cracked. Alec looked guiltily at the floor as Damon stood towering in front of Lyn with his hand folded across his chest.

"I know its going to sound crazy but…" he hesitated to continue. Alec looked around to check if Amy was still in her room and not in hearing range. He quickly closed the door.

"Lyn, I don't know how to say this…"

"He's talking about Klaus's curse." Damon whispered into her ear as he grabbed a bottle of bear from the fridge. "She knows about it – move on." Alec looked at her, incredulous.

"What about it?" She gulped with fear.

"We are a part for breaking that curse." He concluded. "Our blood." He sighed.

"How did you know about this? Alec, tell me honestly, what were you upto earlier in the day when I left?" With a sullen and guilty face, he confessed their deeds of having drugged Luka and made him spill the beans about Klaus. What however hadn't been expected was for was their involvement in the whole situation. Lyn started pacing the room. She had forgotten about her vision in the midst of the tumultuous day she was having. "That makes sense now." She muttered, catching Damon's attention.

She sped back to Damon, "I had a vision this evening. A witch and Klaus. They were talking about me. I couldn't get her name but I'm sure she was a witch. She was showing Klaus an image of mine." She started rambling, her fingers trembling. "Did you see what he looked like?" Damon asked, cautious.

"No. I just… he…" she collapsed to the ground before completing her sentence as Damon and Alec both looked on, shocked.

* * *

><p>"<em>I've been waiting for you." Greta smiled, opening her eyes.<em>

"_I'm here, love. What is it?" the same velvety voice._

"_I might have found your backup."_

"_Fantastic! And what have we found now?" _Lyn's body twitched in Damon's arms.

"_Mystic Falls. Virginia." The girl pointed to a photo of Elena Gilbert with Stefan Salvatore._

"_She looks, just like Katerina." His voice was husky. His facial expressions turned putrid however as his eyes shifted towards the man in the picture. "I believe it's time to pay a visit to my old friend, yes?" he smirked._

She was sweating profusely, her body temperature kept escalating. The wet towels that Alec and Damon had put on her forehead in an attempt to keep her ever increasing body heat under control were failing. Suddenly her loud shrill cries pierced the night air. She cringed into a ball on the couch against Damon's form.

"_Now tell me about my failsafe." There was an air of arrogance in his voice._

"_Theres three of them. Two female, one male." She shifted towards a desk and picked up a file and handed it over to Klaus. It was a company file. It was __**her**__ file. "This one however, will help you narrow down your choice."_

_He looked at the picture attached to it and smirked wickedly. "I think I shall see this for myself."_

* * *

><p>It had been four hours and Lyn had yet to gain consciousness. Bonnie and Alec sat at the foot of her bed as Damon and Alaric made conversation below. The sweating had stopped and she looked much more at ease than she had. Amy had woken up upon hearing Lyn's agonized cries but had fallen asleep soon after.<p>

She stirred lightly, slowly coming to her senses. It was suffocating and hot. She wrestled with the blanket wrapped around her. A cold hand soothed her anxieties momentarily. She felt at ease as it kept stroking her face. With a lot of difficulty, she struggled to open her eyes. Bonnie and Alec's curious faces came into view. "Lyn." Alec smiled, relieved.

"Is she awake?" The familiar voice sounded from the door as Bonnie helped her sit with her back against the head board. Damon. In a second, he was sitting in front of her, his hand cupping the side of her face, face tensed. Her hand instantly rested on his and she smiled, weakly at the pained expression on hi face.

"Umm, I think – I'll go get her something to… eat maybe." Bonnie stood up abruptly and signaled Alec to join her downstairs. Alec was puzzled at Lyn and Damon's interactions but left the two of them, nonetheless.

Alaric took the single sofa. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm… okay now. Thank you for coming." She whispered, shifting to make herself a little more comfortable.

Damon and Alaric tried to shift the focus of the conversation from what had coursed through the day into more light hearted banter clearly noticing Lyn's tensed expression. Bonnie and Alec returned with soup which she drank, realizing that she was positively starving.

The three of them were laughing at Damon's sarcastic humor when she abruptly spoke again, "I think I saw Klaus." An uncomfortable silence settled in the room again. "How about you get some sleep tonight. We'll talk about this tomorrow." Bonnie smiled. Everyone began to leave one after another. "Oh Bonnie? Stay over tonight. It's not particularly safe to be out now." She nodded and smiled before they left the room.

Damon stood and just turned when Lyn caught his wrist in a feeble attempt to stop him. "Don't go." She barely whispered as he returned to her side, stroking her hair softly. "I wasn't going anywhere. Thought switching the lights off would make you feel better?" As much as she was amazed by his affectionate gesture, she was glad. He did care. No matter how much he'd deny, she knew she had someone to trust. She could realize she was falling for him. Love had never been her cup of tea. In every experience, she had just gotten hurt, yet, the heart didn't stop loving and hoping.

He slid to her side, helping her gently as if she were made of fine glass, afraid that if handled her without caution, she'd break. "Damon, I'm scared." She confessed while he held her hand, her back against his cold, firm chest. "I know." He couldn't reassure her, couldn't make her promises that things would be fine, but he did know this much – he would be there for her whenever she needed him to be.

As the night passed, she reiterated all the events that had coursed through the day to Damon. She told him about the visions she had had about Klaus and though she couldn't recollect with clarity his exact features, she did give him a vague description of how he looked.

* * *

><p>"Whats going on?" Stefan's voice came through the phone as Damon stood at the corner of the room, looking outside the window.<p>

"Well, I showered. I shaved. I saved lives and rescued a damsel in distress. Had a quiet day so to speak."

"Well that makes the two of us." He could hear Stefan sigh.

"I did hear one piece of good news and one piece of bad news though. Which one would you like first?" He turned around momentarily to see Lyn change her position.

"The good news – Tyler Lockwood ran away from home last night." He could find himself smirking. He told him the source of his information – Sheriff Forbes.

"And whats the bad news?" Damon contemplated before finally putting them in words. He spoke in a low hush not wanting to wake Lyn from her sleep as he iterated the events that had coursed.

"Great!" Stefan sighed in frustration. "Where does that leave us now?"

"I don't know. Answers. And when it comes to that I can think of only one person."

"Isobel." Stefan concluded.

"Bingo!" Damon enthused with mock interest.

"Damon, she cannot be trusted, you know that." Stefan cautioned.

"Oh I know that mighty well, but if you do have a solution, please enlighten little brother!" Frustration was getting the best of him. After a momentary silence, "Which brings us to…" Damon urged.

"Killing Elijah."

"I think my intelligence is rubbing off on you, brother." Damon smiled amused.

"Well its not going to be easy killing him. He's crafty." Stefan sounded doubtful.

"Well I've got a crafty little dagger."

"He's an original. We don't know what all that encompasses." Stefan pointed out.

"Oh trust me Stefan. I'm gonna dot all my T's. I don't want any surprises this time." He said, with a sinister edge to his words.

"Wow, Damon, tell me for once you're going to be careful."

"Yes Stefan, I've become you. How tragic for both of us." He muttered sarcastically, enjoying the light hearted banter with his brother. He found Lyn tossing and turning on her bed again, beads of sweat beginning to cover her head. "Does a certain Klinsman have anything to do with it?" Stefan decided to pry a little further.

"Got to run. I've a murder to plan and an elusive vampire to find. Busy day." He hung up without answering Stefan's question. Stefan chuckled at his brother's abruptness. Could it be possible he was beginning to care for someone again? Someone other than Elena after learning about Katherine. It felt oddly familiar to have a conversation with Damon which didn't involve snide comments and sarcastically offending humor. He certainly hoped Aralyn Klisnman held the key to that little chest of emotions that were locked away somewhere deep down in his brother's heart.

Damon returned to Lyn's side. Her wild dark hair contrasted the white sheets of her bed. Damon tucked a strand of hair that stuck to her face behind her ear and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She seemed to relax under his cool touch. He sighed, not knowing the emotions that coursed through him. For once, in a long time, he felt responsible for someone, he felt duty bound, he felt sorrow. For once, he felt like, someone was stirring that dangerous feeling of love in his cold heart again. He simply watched her as she slept, relishing the sight of her, knowing she was safe.

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><p><em>I'm really enjoying writing this. So I hope you do give me the incentive to continue!<em>

_Please be nice and review :) _


	11. Mr Smith

_Hi again everyone!_

_I know you guys are reading the story. The number of hits say so! :)_

_A special thank you to **ElenaCullen2102, musicluver9001, Beautiful-Phoenix75** for subscribing to the alerts of this story and of course, my favourite - **TinyDancer** for the review and support! You're the best :)_

_Here's the next chapter._

_Happy Reading! :)_

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 10:<strong>_

On Sunday, Lyn met with Jenna for lunch as she had promised, however the presence of a significant vampire miffed her beyond words. Unfortunately she couldn't go out of the garbs of civility to vent out her pent up hatred. She was met by Alaric on the way. He wasn't too pleased to see Elijah either, "What is he doing here?" He muttered.

"Only one way to find out." She looked at him, suggestively as they walked towards the duo.

She joined them both a little outside the old Fell property. Jenna waved at her from a distance, signaling for her to join them. "Elijah, this is my friend Aralyn Klinsman and this is Alaric Saltzman."

Jenna had been enlightening him about the town's history so to speak. In Alaric's opinion it was quite the contrary. They spoke about the history of the slaves and the founding families. Aralyn only listened to their conversation without being able to contribute much. Her mind was elsewhere. Even though a feet away from him, she could still feel his powerful gaze on her. Jenna soon excused herself to collect a few surveys she had left in the car.

"Alaric Saltzman. You are one of those people on Elena's list of loved ones to protect." Elijah stated simply.

"So is Jenna." Ric reminded, clearly tensed.

"You don't have to be jealous. I really don't pursue younger women. Lighten up Ric." His attempt at humor failed. Lyn continued watching him with analytical eyes, too suspicious of his actions.

He smiled at her but his eyes said otherwise. "You however my dear, I have plans for you." He ran a finger along her jaw line before she swatted it away and walked towards Jenna.

"You know, you might just want to stop pissing her off like that." Ric suggested casually. "Is that a threat?" Elijah smirked, amused. "I wouldn't think of daring an original." Ric sighed defeated.

* * *

><p>They joined Alaric and a very comfortable Andie and Damon at a table at the Mystic Grill. Lyn's eyebrows arched in surprise comprehending the closeness between Damon and Andie. Damon seemed to have noticed the same and winked at her, his expression smug.<p>

Pleasantries were exchanged and just when Alaric was about to leave, Andie came up with the idea of a dinner party. Apparently she wanted to continue this conversation a little more.

"Ooh, my girl. Full of ideas." Damon cooed in her ear, kissing her lightly on the lips. Lyn found herself gritting her teeth all the while trying to keep a composed face. "I'll be happy to host. Say tonight, maybe?" He suggested.

"Its good for me. Jenna? Aralyn?" Andie looked hopeful.

"I don't know if tonight works…" Alaric hesitated.

"I'm free." Jenna smiled.

"It'd be a pleasure." Elijah nodded in agreement.

"Why don't you carry on without me." Lyn suggested, hoping she wouldn't be forced into it. The last thing she wanted was to have a dinner party with _Elijah_, hosted by Damon and his _girlfriend_.

"What? No." Damon dismissed the subject.

"Why not? Is everything okay? Is there somewhere you have to be?" Jenna sounded almost hopeful for Lyn to accept.

"Yes, come along. It'll be fun." Andie encouraged and Damon's cocky smile didn't do much to dissuade her either. Eventually, she had to accept.

"Great."

The party dispersed from Mystic Grill after a light lunch and quite a bit of talking and Lyn waved her goodbyes to Jenna and Andie. Elijah had a prior commitment. As soon as they were out of sight, Damon was opening the door of the car for Lyn. She waited for him to leave, not getting inside her car.

A knowing smirk spread across Damon's handsome face.

"You're annoyed." He smirked triumphant.

"Bingo! Mission accomplished." She feigned enthusiasm, Damon could feel her anger. It was far too strong to go unnoticed. She got into her car and shut the door with a loud bang and sped off. Damon couldn't fathom the reason for her sudden outburst.

Lyn walked into her room, removing her earpieces rather agitatedly, tossing them on her bed. She knew the feeling that was coursing through her – jealousy. It shouldn't have mattered to her that Damon was in fact seeing another woman, if you could call it that. Mostly she was either compelled or played dumb. Yet, Lyn had almost felt like ripping her away from Damon's side when they sat so close in the grill. She plopped herself down on the bed, trying to convince herself that it didn't matter if Andie was indeed Damon's girlfriend.

"Hello gorgeous." She recognized the voice immediately.

"Get lost Damon. Go back to… what's her name again? Ahh yes – _Andie Star_" she said rather dramatically.

"Ooh. Wait. Is that jealousy that I detect?" The smirk on his face grew wider. "You are jealous." He was congratulating himself as if he had just defeated Klaus single – handedly.

"What do you want Damon?" she asked, annoyed.

"Oh nothing. Was just checking up if my favorite mutant in the world was keeping up fine." He fiddled with the accessories that were spread on the dresser.

"Inspection over, I'm alive. Now leave." She replied curtly. He was examining a piece of fabric he had removed from the second shelf of the dresser. "Ooh, racy."

Lyn realized exactly what was in Damon's hand and rushed to grab it. Damon simply held the black lacy corset higher above his head, far from Lyn's reach.

"Damon, give that to me." She tried to suppress her frustration. "No. I think I like it far too much" She kept jumping trying to secure the corset from Damon as he kept moving from place to place. She decided to give it one last try. What she hadn't expected was to fall on the bed with Damon Salvatore under her, holding her gaze. He could feel her plush soft body pressed against his own. She felt extremely aware of every inch of her feminity at the slightest friction of their skin. He flipped them over wasting no time at all. She didn't seem to revolt.

Lyn's breathing hitched; her heart started beating so fast that it threatened to fall out of her rib cage. Their lips were only inches away. He could feel her soft, warm skin against his own hard cold one. He could feel her soft plush breasts against his firm chest. Goosebumps rose as he trailed his fingers along her left arm, she closed her eyes, savouring the pleasure of his touch. Damon pulled her face to meet his own. He wanted to see her face, her expressions, her reactions. He caught her lips between his, biting gently on the lower lip. She moaned with pleasure throwing one arm around him and pulling him closer by the collar of his shirt with another.

He chuckled as he remembered his last experience of kissing her, wondering how she'd justify her actions now. "What's so funny?" She spoke between their incessant kissing. The two of them were practically devouring each other like there was no tomorrow. Her legs instantly curved around his waist, clinging on to his lean form. Damon's phone rang in his pockets but he didn't seem to bother, she didn't remind either, far too engrossed in each other as they were. When it rang a second time, Lyn realized their precarious situation.

"Damon…" she managed to speak as he shifted his attention to the crook of her neck. "Damon… it's your phone." He didn't bother. She had to get his attention somehow. "It might be _Andie_." It didn't bring about the desired effect. "Or Elena." That did the trick. Annoyed by the intrusion, he groaned and shifted his weight off her, rolling to her side. The two of them breathed heavily. Damon checked his cell phone. It was Alaric. As much as he wanted to stay back and continue their escapade, he knew he had to pay his disgruntled, jolted ex- a visit. He stood up in haste.

"Is something the matter?" Lyn asked concerned, judging by his abrupt reaction. When he turned around to look at her, he was rendered speechless. Her perfectly combed hair was now in strange disarray and her lips were swollen red courtesy their chaste kisses. He enjoyed the sight of her and a slow lazy smirk spread on his face making Lyn self conscious. She lifted herself off the bed, quickly trying to organize her hair, "So, I guess… I'll… I'll see you at-"before she could complete her sentence, he pressed his lips to hers once again, silencing her completely and within seconds, he was gone.

She stood frozen to her sport long after he had left. Her fingers at once went to her lips and a feeling of satisfaction spread through her. She found herself falling for him a little more every day.

* * *

><p>Lyn arrived at the Salvatore boarding house a little earlier than she had expected. "Lyn." Jenna greeted her with a hug as they made their way into the majestic mansion.<p>

"I was just helping set up the dinner table." She explained. "Oh great! I'll join you." She exclaimed, easing out of her black overcoat.

"My! You never stop looking good do you?" Jenna complimented her making her blush. "We were talking about dinner, yes?" She laughed. "Hello Andie." She was positively in a better mood.

The ladies continued their chit-chat, but the host – Mr. Salvatore was nowhere to be seen. She was glad she hadn't seen him yet, fearing that she'd not be able to meet his eye after the very sensual meeting they had had earlier in the day. A small smile played on her lips recollecting the events that had coursed. She listened with sympathy as Jenna spoke about the difficult time she was having with Alaric and their relationship. She really did love him and it showed from the fact that she wanted it to work.

"Lyn, hey." Alaric greeted her with a warm hug. She reciprocated. She was curious to know the reason for Damon's sudden departure and the purpose behind hosting this dinner. In the past few weeks, she had gotten to know this much about Damon Salvatore – he never did anything without a scheme to it. The expressions on her face changed from fear to shock to hope to fearful excitement when Alaric informed her that Damon was planning to kill Elijah tonight.

"Who invited him?" Jenna's tone was rather harsh to the guest – a lean man with blond hair and an air of superiority around him.

"John! Surprise… Leave." Damon greeted him, trying to shoo him away at the same time.

"Who is that?" Lyn whispered to Jenna. "That is Jenna's ex-husband and Elena's biological father." Andie supplied with the needful. She couldn't find any similarity between the two of them save the eyes. "And who do we have here?" John looked at her analytical. It was then that Damon saw her for the first time in the night. She introduced herself, moving past Damon, "I'm Aralyn Klinsman. Perhaps you must have heard of my family?" she extended her hand to shake John's instead he kissed her hand, "Of course." He replied, earning a slow glare from Damon.

It didn't take long for Elijah to arrive. As promised they spoke about the history of Mystic Falls and Andie supplemented with the statistics whenever she could. She wasn't so dumb after all. Along the way, they learned of the fact that Elijah was looking for a place where the alleged witch burial ground was located.

Damon soon excused himself to fetch everyone a bottle of cognac.

"The food I must say was almost as wonderful as the company."

"I like you." Andie gave him a queer smile as she helped Lyn clear the table.

"Perhaps Ms. Klinsman would like to contribute to our conversation?" he encouraged.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Smith. I seem to be rather busy. How about I join Miss Star and yourself in a while." She smiled a fake smile and walked into the kitchen. "See, now that is an introduction gone awfully wrong." Andie muttered behind Lyn. "Oh, we're just having a minor disagreement my dear." Elijah smiled, looking at Lyn's retreating form. Her anger was his incentive to keep pursuing her further.

She returned back to the dining room to see an eager Andie locate a pen and a paper in her bag as Alaric thrust the antique dagger into Elijah's heart. His skin started turning a putrid grey. He pulled it out once his entire body reflected an ashen figure.

"Okay, now get rid of him before Jenna comes." Ric muttered, clearly stressed.

"All right." And with that, Damon went darting to the cellar.

Alaric breathed a sigh of relief, gulping an entire glass of water in one go. Lyn put her hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Ric, if I may, can I tell you something?" he looked at her puzzled, encouraging her nonetheless. "Come clean with Jenna. She's really hurting." She gave him a tight-lipped smile.

Damon heard a loud thud and rushed to the cellar. Much to his shock, he couldn't find Elijah's body, an hour later the discovered that he had located Elena with the help of his warlock and had died courtesy Elena's single-handed bravado. As he returned back to his room, he heard the sound of the running shower from his bathroom.

"Andie? I thought you left?" he called out.

"Hello Damon, do you have a robe?" he was stunned to see Katherine in front of him. Naked. His eyes widened with surprise.

"How did you get out?" he stared, incredulous.

"I knew if I begged you not to kill Elijah, that's exactly what you'd do. Little known fact – originals can compel other vampires, but when they die, their compulsion wears off."

"And you knew." He concluded.

"And I'm still here. I didn't run. I meant what I said Damon. I'm going to help you. So… how about that robe?" she smirked as Damon shook his head and left the room, silently cursing.

* * *

><p>Lyn waited, looking outside her window, hoping that she'd see him but he wasn't anywhere in sight. A wave of disappointment spread through her. She guessed he was spending the night with his journalist girlfriend Andie Starr. She tried to reason with herself without success, she still felt jealous and betrayed. '<em>Betrayed, how?' <em>she couldn't fathom. However, she was aware of the presence of another.

He stood deep in the woods, staring at the woman standing at the window. She had been traced and it wouldn't be long before she was dealt with.

He put his phone to his ear – _"I've found them. Mystic Falls, Virginia."_

* * *

><p>The wind that night had a chilly heaviness. Lyn pulled herself closer under the warmth of her soft blanket, fast asleep. She looked harmless and minuscule on her giant double bed, Damon couldn't help but smile. His intelligent young damsel had left the windows open and was shivering under her blanket. He surveyed the yard before securing the bolt of the windows.<p>

She was oblivious to his presence. Her breathing was steady and he could determine that she was having a peaceful sleep. He could recollect the events of the previous night and her troublesome sleep – the way she kept tossing and turning on her bed. He sighed, and pulled back a stray lock of hair which fell on her eyes. He couldn't resist the urge to feel her lips on his again, but he didn't want her to know that. He was devoid of emotion, or so he thought, but his actions were contradicting his thought. He leaned and pressed his lips to hers gently, careful not to wake her. She stirred but her eyes remained closed. Damon retreated to take his place on the lone chair that stood at a distance from her bed, facing her.

It had been an eventful day and he couldn't think of spending the night in any other way than he was doing now – in her presence, losing himself in her peace and tranquility. For once, he felt like there was some order slipping into his otherwise chaotic life even in the midst of the frenzied disarray they were. He closed his eyes, letting his thoughts run astray…

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><p><em>Reviews PLEASE!<em>

_I really hope you are generous and kind with me to review. I won't know if I'm doing justice to the story enough if you guys don't leave a review. Please do so!_


	12. A Hitch and A Decision

_Hi again everyone!_

_Firstly,** Kat() **and** TinyDancer** thank you for the reviews! And of course, thank you everyone else who is reading this story. The stats do give me a figure to be happy! :)_

_Here is the next update - I hope you enjoy it. Do let me know :)_

_Happy Reading :) _

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 11:<strong>_

Lyn woke up groggy the next morning. The bad mood from yesterday had still not passed. She walked into her bathroom little expecting to find a sight she would have otherwise relished.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" She ran outside, screaming, shutting the door behind her.

"Lyn? You okay?" Alec's voice came from the other side of her bedroom door. "I'm good… I… just saw a spider! I'm okay…" She could hear him laugh listening to her silly excuse, glad he had bought it. She turned around to see a semi-naked Damon standing in front of her, smirking, triumphant. Her eyes snapped shut instantly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She muttered angrily, throwing him the towel she had laid down on the bed without once looking at him.

"Last I checked, I was taking care of the spider issue in your shower." He chuckled. She sighed, defeated, knowing that it was a moot point arguing with him any further. She picked up her clothes and walked towards the bathroom in silence. Damon was quicker in interceding her. "Aww come on honey, don't be like that." He pretended to be cute. She swatted his hand away, waiting for him to move aside. When he didn't, she had to forcibly use her power to move him aside.

"Hey that's not fair." She heard him yelling behind her as she closed the door shut.

When she walked out of the shower, drying her hair, she hadn't expected to see him sitting on her bed and contemplating his surroundings.

"Whatever it is you want Damon, you have to be quick, I don't have time." She said in a brusque tone. He pinned her to the wall, smirking, "I think you know just what I want." He winked at her but she didn't blush, she didn't smile, her breathing didn't hitch. She simply pushed him away from herself and began fixing her hair in the mirror.

"Is something the matter with you?" he asked, puzzled. "Oh nothing at all. I'm as good as I can ever be. Thank you for your concern" And with that she bolted down the stair, Damon followed.

"When did he get here?" Alec asked, suspiciously incredulous. "Ask him." Lyn muttered, fixing breakfast for their hectic day ahead.

"Isobel Flemming." Damon stated.

"I'm sorry, who?" Lyn was far too caught up to pay him any heed. "She can give us answers about what Klaus would want from you." He mentioned casually. "Not interested." She dismissed him.

"Well, I would be if I were you. What do you say about a little road trip?" He recommended.

"I'm not going anywhere with you Damon." Her mind was positively racing now. She had approximately 25 minutes before her lecture and Damon's presence was doing more bad than good.

"Good morning!" – Amy bounced downstairs, halting in her tracks. "Who is he?" she looked at him puzzled.

"Oh lets see honey." Damon picked her up in his arms and settled her on his shoulders, moving forward to the dining table. "I am your aunt's helper." He lied with ease as Lyn rolled her eyes. She set the freshly prepared pancakes in front of Amy and Alec in silence, clearly annoyed.

"But I don't want to have pancakes." Amy whined. "Amy, eat. Please." Lyn commanded more than pleaded. "But I'm tired of-"

"Eat." Lyn cut her off mid sentence, her tone rather harsh. She could see the tears in her eyes as she sighed in frustration. Silence befell in the crowded kitchen. Alec didn't utter a word, hoping he would be spared of her sudden fit of rage.

"If you have a problem, you tell me about it. Don't vent it out on a kid." Damon muttered in her ears disapprovingly. He tossed a few eggs on the frying pan. "What do you think- "

"Shh. Just…" he silenced her rudely. Surely this was some way to start the day!

She sat beside Amy, regretting her actions. "Hey." Amy's face was still sullen. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry." She tried, but Amy didn't budge. "Hey, look at me, love." Amy slowly turned her head, looking at Lyn through her eyelashes, the frown still evident on her face. "Did anyone ever tell you that if you frown like that, you'll have a valley on your face someday?" she tried to lighten the mood.

"Mommy used to tell me that." Amy whispered, her voice cracking, tears began to fall from her little eyes. Lyn collected her in her arms, holding her in her lap. "Baby, I'm so sorry. Will you understand if I said I was having a bad day?" she didn't realize she was almost sobbing as well. Amy made a sound of acknowledgement.

"Amy, the eggs are crying." Damon called out from behind the kitchen counter.

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"They are feeling neglected. They had dressed up for you, but you won't so much as even look at them." His pretentiously innocent expression made her smile.

"Is that a smile I see there?" he asked, moving towards her with a plate full of scrambled eggs. She shook her head hiding into Lyn's form trying to deny the obvious. "Oh come on. A small one." She kept denying it until she finally burst out laughing courtesy Damon's incessant nagging. All was well again.

"So what was all that about?" Damon enquired of her as soon as Alec and Amy had left. "What was all what about?" She replied, non-committal.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." Damon stopped her as she tried to make her way into the living room to collect her things before leaving.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm referring to." She replied, harshly. "The grill? The dinner? Andie Star? Ring a bell?" she challenged.

Damon looked at her incredulously. "Is that what this is about? Seriously?" he couldn't believe her reaction to the whole issue would have escalated to such heights.

"I'll tell you what this is not about Damon." She stood in front of him, sticking a finger at his firm chest. "This is not about you cozying up to Andie Star at the grill. This is not about you _kissing_ me on my front porch. This is also not about _us having a mini-make out session in my room, on my bed _despite the fact that you have a _girlfriend_. This is not about any of that." He could see something close to hurt in her eyes before she walked out, trench coat in hand, slamming the door shut.

* * *

><p>When Damon arrived back at the boarding house, the scenario wasn't an appealing one either.<p>

He heard Elena's voice or was it Katherine? "I don't want you here. Get her out of here."

"You need me here Elena, you all do."

"Like hell." He groaned hearing Stefan, Elena and Katherine engage in a war of words.

"And look who we have here." Katherine turned around slyly. "Katherine." He muttered, in no mood for any conversation.

"Care to explain how she got out?" Stefan remarked in his usual brooding manner.

"Oh lay it off Stefan. Not like I compelled her to leave and come running in here." He snapped, "When we killed Elijah, it broke the compulsion and freed the bitch from the tomb." He explained.

Katherine tried to defend herself once again, without any success before she finally left for the grill. Damon was having a bad day already, little knowing that it had only just begun.

* * *

><p>Lyn wasn't able to concentrate whole heartedly on the task she had set for herself. Her mind kept drifting back to the confrontation she had had with Damon this morning. She felt slightly guilty thinking she had been a little too harsh on him. She needed some fresh air. Her head was bursting with the incessant thinking. She decided to pay Alaric a little visit.<p>

When she arrived at the school, she found Elena just leaving a classroom. "Hey. Do you know where I could find Alaric?" she asked.

"Yeah. He's inside." She signaled, smiling tightly before hurrying off in the other direction. Lyn could read the worry lines on her face.

"Wow, you look like you had burnt toast for breakfast." She smiled at Alaric. "Hey. Didn't know you were going to stop by." He invited her to make herself comfortable.

"Elena looked troubled. Is everything okay?" she enquired.

"I just told her about Jenna." There was a sad glint in his eyes. "What about?"

"I think it's over between Jenna and me." He stated, looking her in the eye. "What?" Lyn gasped in surprise as Alaric explained to her the thrifty situation they were in always fraught with peril. She listened as he narrated his story, not knowing what to say. She wasn't the best person to give relationship advice considering the fact that she kept running away from them whenever she felt things were getting too serious.

"Lyn, how much do you know about Katherine?" Ric suddenly mentioned.

"Damon told me about her sometime back." She was puzzled at the sudden mention of her name. When he didn't speak further, she was forced to ask, "Is something the matter Ric?"

"Yeah. She escaped from the tomb. She's back." He stated, watching her eyes widen.

* * *

><p>Elena stood with her back to the car.<p>

"Hey." She smiled at the young teen, walking over to her.

"Hey." Her face was still sullen. "Whatsup?" she mentioned casually, causing Elena to smile a little at her informal greeting. "Nothing – just having a bad day." She muttered.

"Well, that makes the two of us." She tugged at her, slightly. Elena looked at her questioningly.

"Well, let's put it this way – it's not every day that you find out that you are a part of some centuries old witchy mess up and its definitely not every day that you have a heated argument with a homicidal vampire." She looked into the distance.

"Well, that makes the two of us." Elena quoted her, smiling. Her smile soon faded and was replaced by a frown again, "Will it be cowardly if I said I'm scared?" she asked knowing somehow, that Lyn would understand.

"No. I think it'll be very brave if you admitted to being scared. I know I wouldn't be that brave to admit openly." Lyn tried to comfort her with soothing words, she nodded. She could see the fear, the anxiety and the helplessness in her eyes. She felt sorry for Elena. She was just a teen after all, her life hadn't even begun yet to be caught in such a disastrous peril. "Come here." She pulled Elena into a hug, as she held onto Lyn securely, taking comfort in her words. "You're not alone in this Elena."

The two of them knew what was coming save the fact that Lyn didn't know exactly what to expect while Elena had a faint idea – death. She needed answers and she needed them quick.

* * *

><p>Damon's day had been rather uneventful with an ever lustful Katherine trying without any success to seduce him and pry answers out of him time and again. His attempt at burning Elijah's corpse had been unsuccessful and the numerous number of Gilbert journals were positively getting on his nerves as he flicked through another one in his study.<p>

He could hear the sound of snapping wood from the basement where Katherine had gone to retrieve a blood bag. Stefan looked at him with suspicion and both of the rushed to the basement.

"Damon!" he heard Katherine call out before a stake was driven through her body by an unknown force. "Someone's trying to remove the dagger." She yelled and before the dagger had been removed, Damon had set ablaze the figure of the person who had tried to bring back to life the original.

Stefan joined them, "What are you doing?"

"Shutting down a crazy ass psychic witch attack! Get over there and do something about it." Damon screamed. "NOW!" And within seconds, Stefan was out of sight.

* * *

><p>After having checked in with Amy and Alec, Lyn had met with Jenna for coffee and the two of them were headed to the Mystic Grill with the girls to have a "girl's night" as they'd called it.<p>

"Jenna, is there something that you want to talk about?" Lyn initiated the conversation as silence engulfed the table, looking at their morose faces

"It's this whole Isobel thing. He's hiding something from me." She spoke after a moment's silence.

"To play the devil's advocate, maybe there is a great reason why he's not telling you." Caroline defended Ric.

"May be you'd hurt if you knew. May be he's just trying to protect you? We all do that, right?" Lyn added, feeling positively sorry for the two of them. If only Alaric could have come clean with Jenna and her very sly ex John Gilbert hadn't sowed the seeds of distrust in her mind.

"That's not his call to make. I deserve the truth. Everyone does." She stated forcefully, downing a shot of Vodka in anger.

"Wow. Jenna, careful." Lyn tried to take the glass away from her.

"You know what we need? Dancing. And you know what's better? There is a band here tonight." Caroline looked hopefully at the others.

"I'm in." Bonnie smiled.

"In." Elena voted.

"Definitely in." Jenna stood while Lyn just winked flashing her million dollar smile.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before she saw Damon arrive at the grill with Elena, although her hair was a lot curlier than she had last seen and her outfit had changed. He located her through the crowd and hurried straight to her.<p>

"What…" she didn't even need to complete her question for Damon to answer. "I killed Elijah's warlock's son because he was trying to remove the dagger from Elijah and now he wants Elena." She didn't even have time to react to the news when all the lights in the grill began to flicker and soon burst into a hundred shards and they noticed Bonnie pleading with Jonas Martin, "Don't do this, please don't do this."

The warlock remained unfettered and set the bottles behind the bar on fire. As Bonnie tried to stop him, he touched her forehead incapacitating her and she collapsed to the ground.

"Get Bonnie out of here." Before Damon could stop her, she was running towards Jonas Martin trying to stop him from setting the whole place ablaze. He resisted her shield as she put used all her strength.

"Damon, get her out of here. Go!" she screamed. Tiny pieces of glass were beginning to scratch the skin on her face leaving small cuts and wounds. He hesitated for a second but left with Bonnie nonetheless. She tried to keep weaken his senses and body further by radiation emission but the war lock was too strong. He pushed her into the far wall with such force that she could feel her spine break into a thousand small pieces. She succumbed to the blackness around her. The last thing she felt was a cold needle pierce through her neck and then it was dark.

* * *

><p>She woke up after what felt like hours to see the grill in a shambled mess, completely deserted. The pain in her body was immense and she felt her head spin as she made an effort to stand on her feet. She could see the shadow of a figure pass by from the door and hurried towards it making her best attempt at not stumbling over anything.<p>

By the time she made it outside, she could find no one. She searched for someone's mind to read but there was no one in her close vicinity. An eerie silence had descended upon the place and it was unnerving. Lyn rushed to her car and didn't waste any time in getting home. She had broken quite a few speed limits but knew it would be well worth it.

The warlock watched from the remains of the shattered stage as she paced away. It wouldn't be too difficult to spot her now.

At home she found a distraught Bonnie being comforted by Alec, Elena and Caroline.

"Oh my god. You're alive." Elena rushed to hug Lyn. "I am. But what happened?" She asked bewildered.

"I… Dr. Martin took my powers." She cried as Alec comforted her in his arms. He looked at her blood stained crumpled dress. "What happened to you?" it was only then that she realized her bizarre appearance. "Long story." She muttered as her cell phone came to life.

"Damon? Where are you?"

"In the name of Christ almighty why weren't you receiving any calls? Are you okay? Where's Elena?" he shot one question after another.

"Easy, easy. I'm fine. Elena is here with me." She answered cautiously.

"I need you to get Elena and Bonnie here, right now." She did as she was asked without asking another question. When she arrived at the Gilbert residence she was startled to find an unconscious and bleeding Jonas Martin on the floor. Jeremy explained to them how Dr. Martin had come after Elena in her room and how Katherine had managed to incapacitate him. Bonnie took a closer look at him when he suddenly grabbed her face in a rather violent encounter. He was finally killed by Stefan.

"But Elena was at my place." Lyn asked confused as they headed downstairs.

"Yes honey because I was here playing clone." She saw the same figure she had seen in the grill. Her resemblance to Elena was striking save the fact that she had curly hair and a conniving expression plastered to her face.

"I can see why Damon has a fancy towards you. And why Elijah must have chosen you. I can _feel_ it." She smirked knowingly.

"Stop complaining _Katherine_." The two of them locked their gazes, neither looking away before Katherine turned to Elena holding her necklace, "I'm guessing you're going to want this back but your pretty little outfit is going to need a good dry clean."

The party cleared themselves off from the Gilbert residence. Stefan stayed back with Elena as Damon hurried to bury Jonas's corpse. "Bonnie, you should probably stay over tonight. I'd rather you were safe with us than all the madness." Lyn felt a strange sisterly affection towards the young witch. "Thanks Lyn, but I'll really be fine."

"Oh but I insist. Do so for my peace." She averred and Bonnie couldn't refuse. She humbly obliged.

An expectant Alec and Caroline waited to be enlightened about the events that had coursed and after having done so, Lyn decided to check up on Amy once Caroline had left. As she made her way upstairs, she could see Alec kissing Bonnie with great passion and she smiled. Atleast one of them was going to have their happy ending.

"Hello princess." She greeted Amy who was busy with her set of crayons. She joined her on the tiny table. "What are you doing?" she asked and Amy showed her the sketches. They were same disturbing ones she had been scribbling from the past few weeks now. It had stopped very briefly but she hadn't known they had begun again. She hugged her tightly, stroking her hair comfortably. "Amy, can you do me a small favor love?" she asked hopefully and felt Amy nod against her stomach. She put in front of her the picture of a fair woman with freckles and dark straight long hair.

"I need you to locate Isobel Flemming for me."

* * *

><p>Lyn lay on her bed playing with the necklace that hung on her neck. She contemplated if she should infact take Damon up on his offer for the suggested "little road trip". She had an address and he had the conviction. They both wanted answers but that familiar tension returned to her mind. She recollected a little piece of conversation they had had as they left Elena's residence.<p>

"_Hey… about this morning. Andie is just a distraction." Damon shrugged._

"_Why are you telling me this?" she challenged. "Just thought I'd get a few things straight." He muttered, not looking her in the eye._

"_Like I care Damon." _Shehad left without another word and now she contemplated if she did owe him an apology_._

The clock on her wall showed the time to be quarter past eleven and silence engulfed the house. She slipped out of her bed and changed into appropriate clothing before heading towards the Salvatore boarding house.

* * *

><p>It seemed to Damon, that everyday was turning out to be as eventful and exhausting as the other and yet, he had an entire journal of Jonathan Gilbert to explore. He sat on his bed with the journal in hand. His eyes were on the journal, but mind, elsewhere. Aralyn Klinsman, precisely.<p>

Katherine joined him wearing a black lacy lingerie set, tirelessly continuing her seduction regime.

"You what I can't figure out? How the town figured out that Emily was a witch, I mean because according to Johnathan Gilbert, only he knew." Damon wondered. Katherine looked at him in silence. Her silence being answer enough.

"Mmm, I should have figured as much."

"She was a loose end. I like mine tied. You know what I can't figure out?" She mused.

"Do I care?" Damon muttered sarcastically, paying her little heed, she continued nonetheless.

"I can't figure out what that little brunette has in her that's drawing you like a moth to a flame. What is it that she has Damon, that I don't?" He knew Katherine's mind games only a little too well and had no intention of obliging her with the same. "I have no clue." He smiled pretentiously.

"You were mean to me today." She stated.

"Tit for that."

"You were mean and very rough and monstrous to me." She climbed onto his lap.

"You deserved it."

"I like this, Damon." Her voice turned husky as she leaned in the press her lips to his. Their lips were only inches away.

"And just when I thought I owed you an apology." He instantly recognized Lyn's voice from the door.

"It's not what it looks like." Damon tried to explain holding a finger before his face while Katherine smirked.

"Oh yeah?" She challenged as he began to get off the bed. "Oh no no no no. Continue please. By all means." She slammed the door shut behind her, clearly appalled by Damon's behavior. She cursed herself for having believed for a second what he'd said. She should have known him better even after Jenna's relentless warning of his reputation. She felt like a fool.

* * *

><p>He watched her walk out of her bathroom in his favorite satin night robe. "Hi there." She was momentarily taken aback. "Damon please. I really don't have the energy for this now." She slid into her bed comfortably.<p>

"That was Katherine working up her sneaky ways to get to you." He stated simply.

"Yeah, sure." She muttered.

He sighed, "You stopped by at midnight?" he questioned. "What could be that important?"

She shifted uncomfortably in her bed, before sitting upright, not knowing how she would frame her words. "Look, let's behave like grownups here okay?" she hesitated before continuing. "I gave it a thought about meeting Isobel Flemming." She confessed. "And?" Damon encouraged.

"And… I have an address." She said, holding a piece of paper. Damon smirked, "Now that's my girl." He moved close to her but she held him at his spot.

"But there's one condition."

"What's that?" he wondered struggling to move against her control.

"You won't touch me once, without my permission." She bargained while he gave her an analyzing look. "We have a deal." He smirked knowing she wouldn't live up to her condition. He'd make sure she wouldn't.

"Damon, I'm serious. Will I be safe with you?"

"Yes." He rolled his eyes as if she was asking him the very obvious.

"Can I trust you?"

"No." He didn't have to think twice. He knew he wouldn't keep his part of the deal, what was the point lying? Lyn narrowed her eyes at him, her eyebrows arched.

"God, you sound like Elena now. Fine. Yes you can." He sighed, frustrated. Women with a completely functional brain sure were twisted.

* * *

><p><em>And how goes it? <em>

_Pls do review! :) _

_P.S. - The next chapter is by far one of my favs. So the more reviews I get, the faster I upload it! ;-)_

_So don't make yourself wait!_


	13. The Roadtrip

_Hello again everyone!_

_Thank you for the reviews and all the hits and the tags for favorite story! As promised, here is the next chapter. Its one of my favorites in the story so far. Hopefully this should give you an idea of exactly what Lyn is like as a person from the little things that happen throughout the chapter AND what is Damon's idea of BONDING._

_Happy Reading! :)_

* * *

><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 12:<strong>_

After Amy, Alec and Bonnie had left for school, Lyn hurried putting things back in place. She left a note on the kitchen island informing them that she was going out of town with Damon and might return late. A set of other instructions followed regarding the whereabouts of different foodstuff and the various other dos and don'ts. She felt old already when she realized how much she sounded like her own mother.

A car honked in her parking lot. She knew it was Damon. She looked at her watch – it was nine, the time they had agreed to meet.

"_Very punctual."_ She thought before finally grabbing her cell phone and a set of keys.

Damon stared dumbfounded upon seeing Lyn. The denim short pants she wore flaunted her perfectly shapely legs while her cream tank top accentuated her curves even though her hideous grey shrug hid them from view. Her curly brown hair was tied into messy ponytail and pair of grey aviators covered her eyes as she fiddled with her black sling bag that hung diagonally on her shoulder. It was times like this that made him grateful of being a vampire. The precision with which he memorized every minute detail was beyond marvelous. He could feel himself get turned on just by the sight of her. He had to do something and he had to do it quick if at all they planned to get to Philadelphia on the same day.

She made herself comfortable on the next seat while Damon kept staring at her, analytical.

"What? Cat got your mouth?" she quirked her eyebrow. "So the whole "touch-me-not" was a part of the plan, wasn't it?" he smiled sarcastically. "I don't know what you're talking about." She muttered, knowing full well his reference.

"Oh! Of course you don't." He mused rather dramatically.

"What! I knew it would be a long journey. Thought I might as well dress myself comfortably." She justified although not quite needing it. Damon winked at her, his signature smirk reappearing as he started the engine of his Black Camero. She knew he thought otherwise, despite her genuine intentions.

"How long much longer?" She asked after an hour of their journey, bored.

"Why? Aren't you enjoying it?" She heard Damon sing along with the radio.

"No Damon. With Creedence Clearwater blasting at an ear-curling range, I am clearly not enjoying." She stated, bored.

"You forgot about the exhausting sexual tension." He smirked.

"Oh that I think should be between Andie and you…" she laughed sarcastically, "Or rather Katherine and you more recently."

"Oh just admit it – you're jealous." Damon loved the way she dismissed him instantaneously "No I'm not and stop dreaming about it." He chuckled and switched the radio station.

"Coldplay. Now I'd call that music." She mused. Damon kept smiling as he heard her soft voice singing along the lines. Never had he thought she'd be a fan of alternative rock. It didn't particularly go with the image of being an aunt after all.

"Glad you define music beyond Taylor Swift." He mused, deliberately wanting to annoy her. "What do you think I am? 14?" she looked repulsed. Well, with that plush curvy figure, no one would every mistake her to be underage. Anything but underage rather.

"Katherine's resemblance to Elena is uncanny. I can't imagine what it must be like for her." Damon shifted in his seat upon hearing Katherine and Elena's names in the same sentence and Lyn noticed it. She didn't press on Damon, the subject, noticing the awkward silence that befell. Clearly it did show his soft corner for one of them. Lyn wondered who.

"How did you find Isobel's address?" He asked after a short while. She fidgeted with her fingers, thinking if she should give away her source. She realized that if he was going to help, it was time she started trusting him. He hadn't given her reason to do otherwise, yet.

"Amy is a tracker." She stated simply, her voice hushed. "It was hard for her yes, but she did help me out." He nodded. "Are you going to tell me who was that guy you had me compel?" he continued.

"I didn't have you compel anyone. It was an act of generosity on your part." She was good at nonchalance and her denial made Damon chuckle some more. He waited for her to continue.

"That was Blake Holden. He is the company's secret weapon; reason – he can negate powers of those in his vicinity." Damon's eyebrows quirked. He still hadn't been able to digest the entire sci-fi drama she had been narrating to him. "So why couldn't you mimic his powers and negate his?" he asked confused.

"Because it doesn't work like that. He already renders me powerless before I can act." She finished.

"Damon… this really means a lot to me okay? Thanks for showing concern." She was tangled in the web of supernatural and this sticky situation had put everyone's life she loved at stake, notwithstanding the impending crisis that she already was in and the more she thought about her countless encounters with death, the more she realized his contribution to keeping her alive. He could see the gratitude in her eyes and it made him feel uncomfortable. It wasn't everyday that one thought his actions were worth gratitude. He was always one condemned of being selfish, conniving, and rash. Being shown gratitude meant there was an image to live up to, duties to perform and he didn't quite like the idea of it after spending more than 160 being condemned the opposite.

They stopped at a high-way inn after three hours. "Why did we stop?" Lyn questioned, "Unless we've run out of gas, of course." She quickly added.

"Break for the human!" Damon mused and before she could lay her hand on the door to open it, Damon was standing with the door open at her side. Instead of thanking him, she muttered close to his ear, "Very inconspicuous" before walking through the door of the small high-way inn.

The two of them had just settled in their seat when Damon turned her around and quickly crushed his lips on to hers. Aralyn's hands instantly went to his neck while he deepened the kiss pulling her closer. Her sense of judgment had ceased to exist until she heard the server clear her throat. She pushed him away, giving him an angry look. The server – a young girl looked rather disappointed. Clearly she had her eyes on Damon. Lyn continued giving Damon the angry glare.

"Play along with me." He whispered looking over her shoulder. She arched her eyebrow challenging, thinking he was just playing with her again. She turned slightly to catch a glimpse of the person when she heard the sudden crunch of newspapers. She abruptly started tracing her fingers along Damon's jaw line. Feeling the sudden warmth of her fingers along his jaw line, Damon instantaneously pulled Lyn into another searing kiss. "Baby, I'm hungry." She moaned, pushing him away. Although she was gasping for air, her eyes looked like they could have murdered Damon if they had the ability to. The sudden impulse to touch her, to feel her lips on his, to feel the warmth of her skin had been so overwhelming that the logical side of his brain had effectively shut down. The feel of her skin on his was like the catalyst to the growing sexual tension between them and it was toying up with his brain. He didn't know how long he could keep it going for. Of course, trying to prove the fact that the man had infact mistaken her for someone else was the goal behind the seemingly pretentious act, but it could have been done in ways other than public display of affection! They knew Lyn never attached herself to anyone and a change in the ideology wasn't quite her cup of tea.

Damon followed Aralyn closely behind when they headed back to the car, noticing the movement of the strange man who had constantly held a newspaper to his face. He was holding what seemed like a gun to his hand, aiming directly at Lyn's neck while she walked towards the car, oblivious. Just when his fingers found the trigger, Damon's found his neck and the man collapsed to the ground. Lyn watched with shock as she saw Damon snap his neck with a nonchalant expression. He picked up the strange weapon that the man held, examining it briefly before throwing it to Lyn. The weapon fell with a clatter to the ground. She was still too shocked by the situation. This had been the third time Damon had saved her life.

"What is that?" Damon asked inquisitive while Lyn fiddled with the machine. "I don't know. I'm still figuring out." She seemed almost entranced, as if she were talking an alien language. She kept murmuring strange scientific formulas and mathematical calculation rolled off her tongue smooth as satin. "Lyn?" She began dissecting the instrument now. It was as if she knew the functioning of every part and the more she explored, the more the machine allowed access. "Lyn!" Damon's calls fell on deaf ears. Her obsession was uncanny. "Aralyn." He finally raised his voice, shaking her so that he could catch her attention.

Her head snapped at him and she stared bewildered. "Did…" she looked at the disintegrated parts of the weapon in her hand. "I did this?" she looked incredulous.

"You begin to freak me out sometimes." Damon admitted, his eyes on the road. She ignored him picking up the miniscule little capsule that was filled with a colorless liquid. She kept it at a distance, smelling it cautiously and immediately a mind-numbing pain ceased her head. Damon's hand was instantly on her forehead, comforting her.

"Bastards have got crafty." She panted, smirking sarcastically. "What?"

"Hydrogen Cyanide." She huffed, positioning herself comfortably, she held the capsule in front of her. "Moment he'd have shot this into me – I'd be completely incapacitated."

"Cyanide stops cellular respiration." Damon realized.

"In-turn stopping cellular regeneration and that is exactly how I function." She explained.

"And what about the freaky geek that you were a while ago?" He questioned. She contemplated, "May be that was his ability – technopathy." She mused. She began fiddling with the radio of the car next, not needing buttons to switch stations. Damon was beyond words.

* * *

><p>"So this is the place?" Lyn looked rather suspicious.<p>

"The best foreclosure in town. Sounds like Isobel." Damon muttered and stepped out of the car to look at the magnificent white Greek architecture bungalow. It stood secluded from the rest of the neighborhood yet, not desolate. "Stay behind me." He directed.

"Damon, I might not be a vampire but I'm completely capable of handling myself." She defended herself, making her way to the door.

"You don't know what we're dealing with here okay. You haven't seen what vampires are capable of so give your stubborn attitude a break and if you want to stay alive listen to me." Damon's words cut through her like a sharp knife. His tone was menacing and eyes, serious.

Lyn followed Damon as they carefully maneuvered through the empty house. They could hear music playing through a stereo on the floor above. Lyn gasped at the sight of the dead, decomposing bodies that lay on the couch. They moved to the adjacent room to find two lingerie clad women dancing with a man. Bite marks made their presence felt on the neck, wrists, thighs and torso of each one of them. The wounds were still fresh, Damon looked around for any sign of another vampire.

"Hello handsome." One of the women clung to Damon like he was a pole.

"They've been compelled." Lyn concluded, shocked. She had heard much about Isobel from Damon and Alaric but this wasn't what she'd have expected. "You're learning quickly now aren't you?" Damon smirked.

"Hey gorgeous. What are you doing here?" Damon made small conversation with the blond in his arms under Lyn's suspicious supervision.

"Having some fun. Do you wanna join?" She asked, rather coy. Lyn felt anger rising in the pits of her stomach.

"How about you tell us where the one who got you here is?" She interrupted their charming little conversation, rather annoyed.

"Who is she? I don't like her." The blond looked between Damon and Lyn. "Oh! She's my girlfriend. Gets jealous rather soon you know, baby. So how about that answer?" They waited patiently.

"Oh she isn't here. She left us to enjoy." The blond looked to the two others who continued their naked striptease. "And she said that if someone dropped by…" she removed a small vial from her semi-transparent bra, "to give them this." She opened the vial and threw it to Damon's face.

_Vervain._

Damon yelled, instantly falling to the ground nursing his eye as Lyn hurried to his side. "Damon, what-"

"Vervain." He muttered painfully.

The blond immediately found herself being pushed to the wall and watched Lyn holding out her hand as if she were grasping her neck. The two others looked at her in horror. "Tell me where she is." Lyn threatened.

"I can't." she cried. Lyn pulled her from one wall and violently pushed to the other, "Tell me." She screamed.

"I don't know. She didn't tell us. I don't know." She wailed. Before Lyn could cause her more damage, "Let her go." Damon's voice sounded strangled.

"What?"

"I said, let her go. They've just been compelled. They won't know where Isobel could be." He finally got up to his feet. She hurried to his side, helping him up. She had not even helped Damon to the nearby couch when the male came rushing towards them with a wooden stake. Lyn stood before Damon and pushed the man away, burning his hand and the stake that he held while he cried in agony.

"We need to get out of here." Damon muttered. Lyn didn't even notice when they left the house, locking the door behind them. Damon was suddenly setting her on the ground. The immediate change in her surroundings made her head spin.

The two of them walked towards the car. "Thanks for saving my ass in there." Damon muttered lightly, never being the one to express gratitude, catching Lyn's attention immediately. She felt herself smile. She couldn't explain the worry that had coursed through her seeing him in pain and chose not to express it either. They were even for the day. She had saved his life like he had saved hers. The thought of their encounter earlier returned to her mind.

"Owwwwww!" Damon yelled, not having regained his strength. "What was that for?" He nursed his jaw where her fist had punched him. She was holding her broken fist close to her with a pained expression too.

"That was for calling me your girlfriend _AND_ scaring the shit out of me." She gasped; it however did not stop her. She punched him again, with her good fist, the two of them yelling together this time.

"And that was for _kissing_ me without my permission." She yelled before getting inside the car. Despite the pain, Damon couldn't help but smirk at her reasons. He was enjoying the thoughts that were running through her mind.

* * *

><p>They stopped at a diner to revise their plan and grab a meal. It was almost 4 in the evening and they had yet to find Isobel. Damon walked into the diner to find a man having an animated conversation with Lyn. He slid comfortably beside her, giving her a small peck on her lips. "Hey baby, won't you introduce us?" He looked at the man who had a confused look on his face.<p>

"Leave." Damon commanded. "_Very_ mature, Damon." Lyn commented, annoyed.

"What? He was annoying me, I couldn't talk to you. Simple." He took a sip from the drink Lyn had ordered, deliberately making a dramatic, disgruntled face. "Anyway – I got news from Stefan – the witch got her powers back, the radioactive guy hasn't burned anything yet, the tracker is at school swimming, the doppelganger is enjoying her time with her brooding vampire boyfriend, a.k.a my brother." Lyn let out a heavy breath she didn't know she was holding. "So what's next?"

"I was thinking… maybe I could give my hand at tracking." Damon looked at her, skeptically. "It doesn't harm trying. I mean…" she stuck her hands out suggestively, he nodded.

She removed a map of the city from her bag and a pin. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. The images were all too tangled, they kept changing. She tried to concentrate harder; she kept seeing forests and old brick houses. Finally, she saw a woman who bore striking resemblance to Isobel, signing papers and handing it over to a man. She wore a dark brown trench coat and her face had a rather emotional look to it as she stood on the banks of the river that flowed under the bridge of the wooden house. She pressed further, desperate to know the location of the place but her mind rebelled. Her eyes flew open aghast and she felt blood trickling down her nostrils.

"You okay?" Damon asked handing her a tissue. "I couldn't get an address." She apologized. Exhausted by the strain, she rested her head on the table. He nodded, understandingly. "Is there a river anywhere close?" She questioned. "The Delaware and Schuykill. Why?" Damon quizzed as she narrated to him what she had seen.

In the next three hours they had searched all the neighborhoods close to the river side in hope of finding Isobel without any success. It was getting dark and late and Lyn began worrying about reaching home. The journey back wasn't less than five hours and she was confident they wouldn't make it back before one in the night.

* * *

><p>They leaned on the hood of Damon's black Camero overlooking the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. It was beginning to get chilly and Damon could see a dust storm approaching the city. It wasn't common for the city to experience such turbulent weather. They decided to halt till the storm had completely passed; little knowing that nature had other plans for them.<p>

The winds looked rather angry making Lyn worry even more. She kept calling Amy and Alec, relentlessly informing them of her situation. Alec had reassured her time and again that she had nothing to worry about but she felt immensely guilty for having left the two of them alone. How could she be so dim-witted?

Upon much convincing on part of Jenna and Damon, she finally relaxed a little. Out of necessity they decided to check into a hotel for the night. Sadly, due to the storm, none of the hotels had had any vacancy. Fate helped the two of them when they managed to find a vacancy in one of the premier hotels of the city, much to Lyn's annoyance it only had one luxury suite. When she requested for two separate beds, the woman behind the desk gave her a quizzical look. "We're fighting." Damon winked at her, normalizing the situation and making her proposition sound absolutely preposterous.

"You're sleeping on the couch." She muttered as they headed to their room. Half an hour later when Damon walked out of the shower, he found Lyn examining what looked like club wear. "Where'd you get those from?"

"Oh from the store downstairs. Its positively lovely!" She didn't once bother looking at him, clearly too engrossed in her outfits. "And why exactly?" When she did look at him, her heart skipped a beat. She didn't turn, she didn't blush. A sly smile spread on her lips and her eyes raked every corner of his divine beauty. He was like the human reincarnation of Adonis. She watched intently as tiny water droplets traced their path through his perfectly toned abs and disappeared into the towel that hung low on his waist. Her eyes darted to meet his and for a second she felt a strange spark of electricity surge through her spine. He felt it too. It was almost like making love through eyes. She felt as if her whole body had been set on fire and his mesmerizing gaze was her kerosene.

He moved closer to her as she stood frozen to her spot, not being able to move a limb. Her breathing hitched and her heart beat at a terrifying pace. His fingers slowly traced along the lines of her jaw as she leaned her face into his comfort. He pulled her closer, the dress slipping from her hands as they rested on his naked firm chest. She marveled at the touch of his skin – so firm, so smooth. Water from his bare skin seeped through her shirt and raised goose bumps on her skin. Damon tilted her face and she found herself standing on her toes, pressing her lips to his, wanting to feel them, needing to feel them. He deepened the kiss and fought her flirtatious lips to gain access into her mouth and once he did, he devoured her, relished her taste, made her moan. Lyn could feel herself going weak in the knees. She would have collapsed had Damon's hand no held her to himself.

When they finally broke apart, she was happy to realize that she wasn't the only one panting for air. A shy content smile spread on her lips. She was the one to break free from his iron hard grip. She picked up her dress and bolted into the changing room, locking the doors behind her leaving a very confused Damon standing in front of the fireplace. He couldn't think straight. His thoughts were muddled. One moment he was arguing with her like his nemesis, next moment he was making her moan. He looked into the cracking fire, seeking answers…

It was going to be an interestingly long night.

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><p><em>What do you think is going to happen next? :P<em>

_I'd love to hear from you!_

_Do review! _

_Much love,_

_Arnavi :)_


	14. Conflict

_Once again, a huge thank you to all of you who tagged, subscribed to the alerts, reviewed and for all of you guys due to whom I'm getting those brilliant number of hits and visitors!_

_I'll be a good girl and not keep you waiting for long. So here is the next chapter. I think we all know where it is headed ;-)_

_Enjoy!_

_Happy Reading :)_

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 13:<strong>_

Damon's eyes trailed to the corner where the entrance of the bar was located. He could have thanked his lucky stars for unusual storm that had put him in this predicament with Aralyn Klinsman. She walked gracefully and took her seat next to him.

"Martini. Dirty." She winked at the bartender, turning her gaze back to Damon.

"Ooh, feisty? Never took you to be quite the drinker." He gave her an amused smirk.

"Oh well, I guess I deserve a night off from playing mom, being tossed up in a supernatural mess and being almost killed thrice." She laughed lightly. The sound of her laughter was addictive and Damon liked to hear it. He found himself smiling. "Here's to being alive!" she toasted before downing her drink in one go. The way she licked her lips, the skin on her long neck, the way her sexy curls fell on her shoulder made Damon more aroused than he had ever felt in a long time. She asked the bartender for another martini and it didn't take her long to gulp down the second.

"Wow, easy queen bee." Damon took away the third glass that came her way. She snatched it back from him. "Damon, I miss living okay? I just want to let lose tonight. Get my old life back when everything was still a little less messed up, when I didn't have two kids to take care of, when I didn't have a crazed centuries old vampire chase me and when I didn't have to bother about men who passed snide, witty and completely sarcastically funny comments at me. I miss this! Don't stop me." She downed the glass and headed to the already crowded dance floor. Her easy admissions amused him. "As you wish sunshine." Damon muttered, following her with a sly smile on his face. A strange calm spread through him just seeing her. She seemed so care free, so simple and vulnerable the way she was now. She looked almost normal – almost, save the way her hips swayed to the beats, the way her waist moved from one side to the other, the way her full breasts shook with every single move of her body. Lyn noticed Damon staring. The words of the song playing in the background seemed oddly similar to Lyn. She sang along the lines with Rihanna, her eyes fixed on Damon's form. The words that rolled off her lips didn't go unnoticed and Damon read every movement of her seductive lips. Her words were arousing him more than he would have anticipated, the anxiety shooting through his body like an electric bolt, the ache in his groin never ceasing to lessen.

_"I want you to love me, like I'm a hot ride.  
>Be thinkin' of me, doin' what you like.<br>So boy forget about the world, cause its gon' be me and you tonight.  
>I'm gonna make you beg for it, them imma make you swallow your pride." <em>

The alcohol seemed to have given her a new found bravado. She seductively signaled him to join her and he did so keenly. His hands instantly wrapped around her curvy waistline while hers rested on his firm chest. "This… feels good" she mused, her fingers trailing on his clothed chest. Damon's eyes were fixated on her lips, his hands tracing the curves of her waistline as if she were made of fine china.

The look in her eyes gave her intentions away.

_"Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world,_  
><em> Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love,<em>  
><em> Like I'm the only one who knows your heart.<em>  
><em> Only girl in the world.<em>  
><em> Like I'm the only the one that's in command,<em>  
><em> 'Cos I'm the only one who understands,<em>  
><em> how to make you feel like a man..."<em>

"You are a temptress, you know?" he leaned closer, a coy smile playing on his lips as he turned her back to him. She felt him press against her and a sense of satisfaction spread through her body knowing that she was arousing him beyond his control. His cool breath caused a tingling sensation on her ears. Her breathing hitched, goosebumps rose on her skin while his lips traced on the skin of her neck. "Damon…" she whispered unknowingly without reason.

"Yes?" he was enjoying her reactions to his light touch. He waited for her next few words, she however chose to let her lips do the talking crushing her lips on his. His hands slid to her thigh underneath her dress and she moaned into his mouth. She could feel his lips curve into a mischievous smile.

"Am I forgetting something?" Damon feigned a quizzical look. "What?" she asked annoyed at the loss of contact of his lips.

"Last I remember, we had a deal, right?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and a faint pink colored her cheeks. Astounded as she was by his sudden imprudently irritating comment, she decided that if he wanted to play the game of tireless seduction, she would happily oblige. "I'm starving." She whispered in his ears, her voice a deep husky before breaking away from him to head towards the restaurant. It clearly intended all the puns one could gather. It took tremendous resolve in every cell of Damon's body to detain himself from ravishing her body at that very spot, at that very moment. The perfume she wore wasn't enough to suppress her strong musky scent. It was his opium, his addiction.

Dinner passed in an eerie silence, neither of them speaking. Lyn could feel his powerful gaze on her and it made her feel like a woman. She hadn't ever thought once that the man, who she had promised to keep a distance from, would one day make her knees weak, turn her willpower into jelly, dominate and decide for her without her resistance. The sexual tension between the two of them only accelerated further when Damon poured her a drink, quite mistakenly brazing his fingers over hers. She felt a slow flame sear through her body, consuming her. His dangerously determined gaze and dreamy eyes had been answer enough to establish his intentions. It made Lyn shy.

Lyn's fingers trembled as she fiddled with the keys to their room. After three failed attempts, Damon placed his hands on hers, unlocking the door. His sudden touch send a jolt of electricity surging through her spine and every cell of her body felt more alert than ever. Lyn's body hadn't even registered the foreign touch when he cupped her cheeks and kissed her almost in primal greed, lifting her up and rushing inside with superhuman speed. He pinned her to the wall, biting on her full lower lips, she groaned with pleasure at the taste of the metallic red liquid that oozed out of her lips. Damon heard the door close with a loud click while Lyn's legs wrapped around his waist, her dress already rolled up over her thighs. His hands found their way to the insides of her thigh and he could recognize the unfamiliar scent of her arousal. She smelled lovely to him. "Still starving?" he teased. "Positively." She supplied, her fingers lost in his silky jet black hair.

He held her closer, protectively, her lips were sore from his passionate kiss and they moved to trace the crook of her neck. Damon felt her shiver, instantly understanding her hesitation. "The deal is still on darling?" His cool breath once again made her absolutely winded. "I get to call the shots." Her voice was a faint hoarse murmur as her hands found way to undo the buttons on his shirt and boy she was in haste! "Ooh, I like a woman in control." He chuckled when she pulled his lips back to hers holding him from the hair on the nape of his neck. She could swear she heard him moan too.

Her hands reached the buttons of his black jeans next but before she could proceed, his hands had already found their destination. She gasped at the sensation of his touch inside her. "Is that all you've got?" she panted, struggling for air as he stroked her soft folds in teasingly erotic passion. He decided to up the game, stroking her more fervently, "Now we're talk- _Oh- …_." She gasped, "_Oh… Yes…_"

So lost was she in the sheer ecstasy of the moment that she couldn't recollect how long he stood there, pleasuring her, her moans getting louder and louder. She felt her bones turn to clay, the grip of her legs around his waist became weak and an ecstatic tingling sensation burst throughout her body like an enlivening shock. "Damon…" she tried to find some sanity, realizing she couldn't hold herself very long. He merely gave a sigh of acknowledgment, assaulting the crook of her neck with his tantalizingly chaste kisses. "Damon…bed…" she murmured, and within seconds she felt soft sheets against her back.

His hard figure was pressed onto hers. She could feel how hard he was. Damon's thrusts had become more fervent, more ardent, more needy. "I… Damon…" she panted, breathless and he stroked her even faster, her insides slippery and inviting as ever. "Tell me what you want me to do." He held her gaze and in the sincerity of the moment, reason escaped her mind. She felt like just another girl who had fallen for a man who she trusted to care for her enough. Without thought, she said, "Make love to me Damon."

He didn't need to hear another word. With much impatience, he yanked the offending piece of fabric off her body, leaving her exposed. Damon frowned realizing he had a long way to go, but the mere sight of the black satin bustier against her skin made him smirk, "ever the one for satin." He mused, he was rather adept at removing the last piece of fabric covering her delicate body than she had been putting it on.

"Ever the Casanova Mr. Salvatore?" she chuckled, her hands trailing on his strong thighs.

"Years of practice baby." He retorted eyeing her lustfully, and he squeezed her plush breasts momentarily, fascinated, making her blush. "I've wanted to do this the whole day." He growled, his own enthusiasm reaching heights he hadn't discovered before. She stirred on his aggressive touch, relishing it, making her purr with pleasure, her cheeks a bright red courtesy the incessant blushing. Her reactions to their predicament were contrary to the fearless fighter that she was under other circumstances and yet as she lay here, underneath him, naked and vulnerable, there was something so pure, so innocent and so tender about her that it would have hurt Damon physically to cause pain to her.

"Are you sure?" he asked, searching her eyes for her answer. "As sure as I can ever be." A mischievous smile lit up her beatific face, but she couldn't veil the lone tear glimmering in her eyes.

Damon eased himself into her soft wet core and she gasped, her back arching, providing him a perfect view of those much coveted full breasts. He took one taut areola in his mouth, flicking his tongue around it, slowly, teasingly as he began thrusting inside her, slowly, feeling the way her muscles, her soft folds flexed around his hard skin, feeling her warmth inside, but the chills outside. He sucked on her breasts, tugged on her extremely alert glistening nipples and bit lightly into one of them drawing the sweet taste of her blood, making her moan. "Fuck… you're beautiful." His lips were cold against her overheated skin but his mouth was warm and inviting. His words came out as statement of facts, not greased with easy manipulation and seduction. The wound he left healed itself and Damon switched his attention to nursing the other one. "Don't make me wait Damon…" She pleaded, moaning, unsure if she could hold back.

He was an ardent lover. His thrusts became more fervent hearing her hoarse breathless voice and Lyn found herself grinding along with him, moving her hips to his rhythm. He could feel her power ooze out of every pore of her body just as much as she could smell and savour the distinct intoxicating smell of him. "You, like that babe?" he had the urge more to assure himself than to know her answer. Her loud moans were answer enough. His eyes darkened with lust and the familiar black veins surfaced and he could feel the fangs protruding gradually. Never had Lyn once seen him so closely with the face of a vampire. She gasped, her hands instantly reaching the veins under his eye as he thrust harder into her, deeper. She was losing coherency by every passing moment. He leaned into her figure and without so much as tracing the smooth lines on her neck, gave into his pure carnal urge, sinking his fangs into the crook of her neck. He savoured every drop of her blood just as much as she savoured the pleasure of his smooth lips on her cold, fresh wound. He drank from her to his heart's content as she wreathed in a concoction of pleasure and pain in his arms, her grip icy hard on Damon's shoulder blades.

"Damon…." She panted, "I'm close…" finding it difficult to utter words in the midst of their fiery lovemaking. She held on to him for dear life, "_Oh…Oh…_ _Oh, I'm going to die if you don't take me now_" her words were a mumbled mess as she buckled in his form. She could tell from his shaky chuckle, so was he. The vibration of his chest, gave him away. "Come with me Lyn…" he murmured against the sensitive skin of her neck, "Come with me… _sweetheart_…."

The feeling of ecstasy was so strong, so potent, so powerful that it left Damon in awe. Her blood had heightened his senses and their climax as they came together in one explosive orgasm leaving the two of them exhausted, emotionally as well as physically. He collapsed on her side, breathing heavily. A lone tear escaped her eyes. "Did I hurt you?" he asked, genuinely concerned. She kept looking at him in awe of his sincerity, his innocence, his passion. She lay her palm on his cheek and kissed him tenderly. He chose not to delve thinking of it further, letting himself enjoy and relish her taste.

Somewhere, somehow, she had fallen for him in the long drawn process of trying to settle away. She didn't know if it was right or wrong for in her world, nothing was a constant, yet here she was, in love with a man she wanted to see as a constant in her chaotic life. Lyn stopped lying to herself. As wrong as he was for her, as wrong as she was for him, she had fallen in love with Damon Salvatore and nothing could change that, no matter how hard she tried to run from him. He had been inside her, he was a part of her that she would carry for the rest of her life. For the first time in her years, she had had the audacity to hope. The tenderness with which he had treated her was contrary to the nature he portrayed but it had been there. She leaned against his firm chest while he wrapped a protective arm around her slender figure, pulling her closer, as if needing the comfort of her skin next to his. "I love you, Damon…" were the last few words she muttered before her mind surrendered to exhaustion.

* * *

><p>Damon's eyes were fixed at solitary clear moon that hung in the sky. The storm had passed, the clouds were clear, but his judgments were clouded than ever. He had never questioned his motives before, never before had he to think twice before he did something. Why then did he want to exercise caution now? Why then did he question himself about morality now as he decided if he was fit for the woman he had bedded that night?<p>

The brunette beauty sharing the bed with him stirred, a content smile playing on her lips, her hands wrapped around his naked waist. An involuntary smile spread on his lips. The warmth of her skin touched his usually icy one, but she didn't once stir. Her breathing was even, clearly she felt secure in his presence. His fingers trailed on her soft dusky skin, amusing him with her very human reactions. In his arms, sharing his bed, she looked completely contrary to the fierce fighter she had been in the tryst of saving his life and punching him on his face earlier in the day. He chuckled softly.

"Damon…" he heard her whisper huskily again, and although it should have brought him immense pleasure, it brought an even bigger sense of pain and doubt to his mind. He had made love to her and not just had mindless sex. Suddenly, he couldn't put a name to his emotions. He ruled out the possibility of love in the whole equation. He could never have been in love with Aralyn Klinsman until getting over Elena.

Was he over Elena? He introspected. Yes, he hadn't thought of her quite as often as he normally did with Lyn around, he enjoyed Lyn's company more than he thought he would have on first glance, he couldn't think of more interesting things to do than spend the night in her room and finding ways to infuriate her the following morning. The question changed, not quite answering the question that had been posed. Was that enough to be called love? If it wasn't love, then what had their sexual encounter been? It had been just that – a sexual encounter. He wondered why he was convincing himself against his budding feelings for Aralyn Klinsman.

She was wrong for him in every sense. She was outspoken, he liked women who could keep shut at his desire. She could not be compelled; he liked to compel his women as per his convenience. She was the guardian of two minions; he never dated women who came with baggage. She was fearless and challenging, he couldn't remember the last time he had been with one like her. She was wrong for him. Period.

His thoughts took him back to his memories about his previous romances which had only been loose ends. Katherine, had never loved him. He had been a mode of amusement for her and Elena, had preferred his brother much like Katherine. He wasn't particularly lucky with the love department. He did abominable things, selfish things to get his way and for some inexplicable reason, he couldn't be selfish with Lyn, especially after hearing those three words escape her mouth. He hadn't heard those three words for himself from anyone for a very long time. Love brought a lot of expectations and responsibilities to shoulder and Damon quite didn't consider himself to be one willing to give up his freedom.

Damon Salvatore didn't do love because it never came with a guarantee and he wouldn't expect anything short of it. Every relationship ends and that was his idea of love. Betrayal and rejection had been enough of a part and parcel in his life.

He walked towards the window overlooking the quiet city in the middle of the night. The storm had passed and so had the storm in his mind. Tonight had just been a night when the two of them had acted on their desires and impulses. Tomorrow, would be a different day.

* * *

><p>Lyn's hands searched for the figure next to her on the satin sheets finding it cold and empty. She sat up abruptly becoming more and more aware of her surroundings with every passing second. The last thing she could remember was falling asleep in Damon's arms. Her eyes widened with surprise as the events of last night dawned on her with a sudden force, coloring her cheeks a slight pink.<p>

Damon simply relished the expressions on her face, sitting on the sofa, diagonally opposite the bed, his index finger on his lips, face contemplative. "It was about time." He muttered, dryly.

Lyn's head instantly turned in the direction of the husky voice. "Good morning to you too." She smiled, clutching the sheets around herself even tighter. She felt incredibly self conscious under his blazing gaze.

"Well, if you don't remember, you have two minions to get back to and I have things to deal with." The abrupt change in his tenor and the subject took her by surprise. She couldn't understand how to react.

"Put some clothes on, we're leaving." He feigned annoyance, gulping an entire shot of espresso. "Never the one for coffee." He muttered.

"That is how you behave after last night?" There was no point in beating around the bush with Damon. She had to be blunt and she was good at it.

"Last night?" He questioned, knowing he was hurting her feelings. "Oh, you mean when you were pounding on me?" her eyes widened with disgust. He knew he had hit a nerve.

"Yes, last night when _we made love_." She stated forcefully, amazed by his sheer insensitivity.

"Ah, ah, ah, correction – last night when we had sex." His narrowed his eyes with a wicked smirk playing on his lips. Lyn was beyond shocked. Was that what he thought of their lovemaking – merely having sex? Her heart felt like it was going to burst into a thousand little shards. She felt humiliated, she felt like a complete whore who enjoyed sleeping with random men, without so much as knowing them purely to satisfy their sexual craving. She felt dirty, but she wouldn't let him know how much of an effect his little tirade was having on her. She wouldn't cry. She would make him suffer and not physically – she would make him suffer emotionally, the way he was making her at this instant. If he could pretend like nothing had happened, she could do just as much. The only thing left to see was who could keep up the pretence longer.

As Lyn tidied herself in the changing room, she realized that there had to be more than what met the eye. Her temper had finally subsided by a petite amount to think of Damon's abrupt turnabout which was puzzling and although his words had been hurtful, if she knew him well enough, she would also know there was a reason he was downplaying the events from last night and it had to be a strong one.

Damon Salvatore wasn't one who didn't take what he wanted after all. She had every intention of knowing and his elusive games had to stop. She stomped out of the changing room, picked her belongings in a brusque manner and walked right out of the room, completely ignoring Damon's presence. The game of pretences had begun.

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><p><em>I'm nervous as a wreck.<em>

_HOW WAS IT?_

_And why does Damon have to be a jackass :(_

_Can't he just claim her and shut up? LOL._

_Anyway - Please do leave me a review! :)_

_Personally - I love Rihanna's music and most of her songs are so sexy! I can totally relate them with Lyn and Damon! :D_


	15. Isobel

_Hello again everyone!_

_Thank you for the reviews, the plentiful number of favorite tags and the even more number of story alerts! I'm really happy! :)_

_This one is a really LONG chapter and I hope you enjoy reading it!_

_Happy Reading :)_

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><p><strong><em>CHAPTER 14:<em>**

The journey back to Mystic Falls had been a quiet one for both Lyn and Damon. Neither had much to say to each other and neither acknowledged the presence of the other. Damon had however had a considerate bone as he dropped Lyn off in front of her house which had only been reciprocated by a loud bang of the door of his Camero. He grimaced at that thought. He knew he had better things to think about. She was just a distraction. Atleast, that was he was telling himself.

No sooner had he entered the boarding house, than Stefan added with a worried tone, "Isobel showed up at Elena's doorstep." Her obvious disappearance from her Philadelphia apartment made sense now.

"What is she doing here?" he mused, more to himself, "Again." He added, a little more confused.

"That's what I'm going to find out." And with that, Stefan had bolted through the door leaving him and a very contemplative Katherine alone in the boarding house. Katherine's silence meant she was upto mischief.

"What do you know?" he asked, cautiously, eyeing her.

"I know that I want Klaus dead, which squarely puts me on team you." She stated brusquely and had Damon really not known her better, he would have believed there wasn't an undertone to her words. His mood was however, grub and it wasn't his day to handle verbal duel after another.

"Looks like things didn't go too well for you and the Ice woman." Katherine commented casually, seating herself on the arm of the couch Damon sat on.

"Go to hell Katherine." He muttered, not quite wanting to discuss the matter.

"Definitely not well. What happened? Did she turn you down?" Katherine chuckled, sarcastically but it hit a nerve for Damon for an unknown reason. He pinned her to the wall, his grip iron hard on her neck, almost making her choke. "Get out of here before I kill you." He muttered menacingly and for the first time, Katherine actually feared for her safety in front of Damon. She hurried outside the door with a hand soothing her bruised neck. Damon was astounded by the abnormal strength he seemed to have gained. He was a vampire yes, but Katherine was years older and technically stronger, yet, he had bruised her neck. He couldn't fathom, how?

The mention of Lyn had made fresh the memories of last – her skin so smooth, her voice so husky, her breasts so plush, and her blood so sweet and powerful. He had to stop thinking about her.

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><p>Lyn reached home to find an empty house. Alec and Amy had left for school and she had called in to take an unpaid leave from college for the day.<p>

Being left alone, her thoughts flitted to the previous night. She was still hurt by Damon's reaction beyond words could tell and she cursed herself for having been a fool to believe that she was falling for him. She should have known better, there was no such thing called love after all. Her eyes began to water, making her feel weak. Anger rose in the pits of her stomach. She was not weak and she would not cry. Especially for Damon, she wouldn't. She had to distract herself and the sooner, the better.

After having had a shower and some breakfast, she had just eased onto the sofa, trying to read the newspaper when she received a call from an unexpected acquaintance.

"_Ms. Klinsman?" _the voice sounded familiar.

"Yes, may I know who this is?"

"_Yes, of course, I'm John Gilbert, I assume we met at the Dinner Party at Da-" _

"Yes, yes of course." She cut him off before he could take his name. She had no intention of hearing it. Atleast not when she was trying to soothe herself.

"_I suppose you should come over to the Gilbert residence. There's someone who has answers to your questions." _His sudden knowledge surprised her. What did he know and why was he willing to help her?

"John, who is it?" formalities would seem nothing short of hypocrisy at this instant, she preferred her interactions blunt.

"_Isobel."_

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><p>Elena walked down the stairs with Stefan to find a bewildered and anxious Lyn at the counter with John Gilbert and Isobel. Her expression changed from shock, to anger to disgust.<p>

"You invited her in?" She pointed out in fury. She moved to stand close to Lyn, somehow feeling a sense of security around her.

"She had information about Klaus, please just listen to her okay?" John pleaded.

Damon burst in through the door, taking all of them by surprise. "What did I miss?"

His sudden presence made Lyn shift, evidently uncomfortable by his presence. "What do you know?" Lyn sighed, her shoulders tensing.

Isobel looked at her directly for the first time, analyzing her. She was too pretty a face than what she had guessed. She doubted Klaus would prefer killing her to keeping her. She smirked momentarily. "Since I was last here, I have been doing everything possible to find Klaus. We know our best chance was finding him, before he found you." She looked directly at Elena.

"Best chance at what?" Stefan enquired.

"Keeping Elena alive." She continued brusquely. "But as I see," her eyes shifted back to Lyn, "the situations have changed dramatically since when I was here."

"Were you able to find Klaus?" Damon interrupted her analytical stare towards Lyn, feeling an unfamiliar aura of violence towards Isobel.

"No. Nobody knows where he is but there are these rumors that are flying around." She paused, then looking at Elena with uncertain eyes, "that a doppelganger exists."

"No. They are not just rumors. He does know. His witch found out." Lyn added earning quizzical looks from John and Isobel. "I had a dream."

"Which brings us to you." Isobel finally muttered after a pregnant silence. "Yeah, we were hoping for that." Damon muttered, taking a seat on one of the chairs.

"How do I fit into any of this?" Lyn challenged.

"Your blood is what every vampire craves. The power coursing through your veins attracts more danger than you could imagine. I would be lying if I said I didn't want a taste of it myself." Damon felt an involuntary growl escape from his chest causing Isobel to smirk. "But I guess your vampire boyfriend would put me to the gallows if I did." Her assumptions were getting on Lyn's nerves.

"Assumptions, assumptions. Why don't we get straight to the point here?" Lyn sighed. "What does Klaus have to do with me?" she challenged more forcefully, her face hard and serious. Damon's eyes didn't feel like once leaving her beatific face.

"Nothing will be able to kill him if he had your blood running in his veins. The blood of your kind is all what Klaus needs to become invincible." It felt like heavy blow on Lyn's chest. "And as we know, since your kind sparingly procreates, and the strength that you possess, it's no surprise that Klaus picked you. He likes his woman strong. Who knows if gets lucky." She smirked, snidely. Isobel had reminded her about the one fact that she had tried very hard to suppress, that she had promised herself she would never pay heed to, yet, she hadn't been able to ignore it as it hit her below the gut at that instant.

"I'm not buying ANY of this." Lyn was still in shock, she had no idea how to react. "Oh but I would if I were you. Your kind is as much a rarity as a doppelganger and knowing Klaus he'll cross all his Ts. He's had been waiting for this over hundreds of years now and he wouldn't want to wait any longer to make good use of the witches' prophecy." As much as Lyn would have liked to deny what she was hearing, she knew the inevitable truth. It was all making perfect sense now. The visions, the theories and Elijah's interest in her, although there was an aorta of doubt in her mind. She couldn't fathom the prophecy Isobel had mentioned about.

"Now how would you know so much about Klaus if you said you didn't find him?" Damon challenged, narrowing his eyes at Isobel.

"Word gets around." She replied, simply.

"Not so much of a word. You're lying." Lyn stated, sidetracked.

"The last time you were here, you made it clear that you didn't give a damn about me. Now all of a sudden I'm supposed to believe that you want to help?" Elena asked incredulous.

"I have a safe home that I can take you to. The deed is in your name. No vampires can get in without your permission. Not even me. Let me help you." A pleading look flickered in Isobel's eyes. It didn't take Lyn to put two and two together to realize where Isobel had been yesterday and who the man was – a lawyer.

"You wanna help? Get the hell out of my house." Elena exited the door with Lyn, leaving everyone worried. Isobel's presence had only complicated things and Lyn's involvement was the worst glitch Damon would have expected in their tryst to kill a psychotic undying monster. His brow creased with worry at the sight of the two women who were walking away from the room – towards one he felt affection and a sense of duty, towards the other he felt something so strong, emotionally and physically that he couldn't imagine not having her around. He looked at his younger brother who stared at him with doubtful eyes, feeling suddenly the responsibility of being an elder sibling, the protector.

* * *

><p>"How are you feeling?" Lyn asked cautiously as she parked her car in the school's parking area.<p>

Elena sighed, leaning her head on the head rest, eyes closed. "Numb?"

Lyn gave a slight laugh. "How are you feeling though? After hearing what Isobel had to say about your involvement and…" she hesitated before finally, saying out loud, "Klaus?"

Lyn remained silent for a long time, staring outside her window, "I don't know what to expect or what to Elena. I really don't." she confessed after a long time. Elena felt sorry for her. She knew that she atleast had Stefan to fall back on, no matter how small a reassurance it had been. He had always been there for her, Lyn however, had no one. This reminded her of Lyn's reaction when Damon had entered her house. As much as Lyn would have liked to believe it had gone unnoticed, it hadn't.

"Is everything alright between you and Damon?" she asked.

Lyn found bile rising in her throat. The bell rang, distracting Elena. Lyn took this as an opportunity to avoid the question, "Guess you'll not want to miss your next lecture." Elena hugged her briefly and rushed into the school compound. She sat in her car for a few minutes, thinking of what Isobel had said. If Klaus needed the blood in her veins, anyone one – Amy, Alec or she would do. It put Amy and Alec on an equal pedestal of danger as it did her and she knew she had to play extremely safe if she had to make it out of this sticky situation. Changing places would have been among one of the options had these been normal circumstances. For all the money she had, she would have probably moved to a small, reclusive island if that's what it took to keep from danger's way, but it wasn't to be. Her nephew and niece had only been through a huge setback in their lives, losing their parents to be hurled into another. She had to find another alternative. She didn't realize for how long she had been sitting there, contemplating till she saw Amy and Alec walk towards the parking lot.

"Hey, didn't realize you were coming to pick us up." Alec mused, as she gave him a hug and picked Amy in her arms.

"From today my lady, I'll come to pick you up everyday." Amy was beyond happy on hearing her words. If she couldn't take them to safety, she would bring safety to them. She had made her resolve.

As Amy dashed into the house, Alec instantly turned around to her with questioning eyes. "What did you find out?" she iterated the events of the day to Alec.

"Alec, you know where this puts the three of us. Under no circumstance can we be even a wee bit negligent towards eachother. We have to look out. I'll be there every single day to get Amy back, and I trust you to take care of yourself. You find one thing amiss and you come and tell me - "

"Lyn, Lyn stop." Alec cut her off mid sentence and she realized she had been rambling like a madwoman. She sighed, "Alec I'm worried. I lost your mother and she was the last of family I had left. I can't lose the two of you now. The two of you mean everything to me." She felt her eyes begin to water again. Alec gave her a warm hug, soothing her before they finally made their way into the house.

* * *

><p>Damon found himself standing on the porch of the 3185, Harrington Road, Mystic Falls. If anyone said that the Klinsmans didn't believe in grandeur, they knew they'd be lying. As simple at the cemented stone architecture looked, its presence among the remaining households on the street was only that elegant.<p>

Lyn had already tucked herself tightly under the weight of her comforter, her plush body looking too small, too fragile against her huge bed. The only light that illuminated the otherwise dark room was that coming from the full moon. Damon kneeled, his face level with hers. She was dressed in what Damon would call disastrous night clothes – long blue cotton pajamas and an oversized white light blue shirt. The satin from her bed had disappeared too, much to Damon's disappointment. Her naked body had looked only too delectable against satin the night they had made love.

Her skin looked a shiny pale in the moonlight, a lone tear was escaping her eye. That unusual feeling of sadness engulfed him and he wiped the tear away. Lyn stirred, her eyes opening partially. She smiled at the beatific face of the man. "Damon." She whispered, he was smiling back. So convinced was she that it was a dream that she decided to fall back into her slumber.

Hearing his name on her lips again had sent a thrill down Damon's spine. He loved the sound of it. He took his usual seat on the single sofa diagonally opposite her bed, thinking about what Isobel had said and the vow he had made to himself. If this was his idea of trying to stay away from Aralyn, it surely needed a drastic change.

* * *

><p>The following day, Lyn met with Alaric at the Mystic Grill after they had both completed their shift at the college and the high school respectively.<p>

"I guess, I'll save you the 'I told you so lecture.'" Lyn sighed noticing Alaric's dejected look as she climbed onto the stool next to Ric.

"Lyn, I messed up. I messed up bad." Alaric confessed, covering his face with his palms. "Yes, you did." She knew denying the obvious wouldn't really get them anywhere.

"Where is Jenna now?" she had heard from Elena the entire episode and couldn't help but feel sorry. On trying Jenna's number constantly, she hadn't received her calls. Lyn preferred to thus give her the space she needed.

"She's living at the university campus for a few."

"It's better that she's away with all that's happening around here." The bartender set two glasses of scotch in front of them, Ric looked at Lyn with suspicion. "Last I remember, it was too hard a drink for you?"

"I've been having a rough time, cut me some slack." She huffed before the two of them clinked their glasses, downing the alcohol in one go.

"Don't you have to be at the scholarship fund gala?" Ric remembered Jenna mentioning about it. "Nope. I'm keeping a low profile." She muttered.

* * *

><p>Damon waited outside the ruins of the abandoned house annoyed that their little witch was making him wait so long for the completion of her witchy juju. Elizabeth Forbes's call was the last thing he would have expected at that moment. She informed him of the events that had occurred at the gala and Damon now found himself throwing down the body of John Gilbert on the floor of the boarding house. He knew his witch was safe and had a well armed bodyguard with her.<p>

His phone was vibrating in his pocket. It was Stefan.

"Stefan? How'd I beat you and Elena home?" his expressions were quizzical as John stirred lightly. "What?" he couldn't believe Stefan's story enough. He rushed to his bathroom and rummaged through his soap holder. There was no sign of the moonstone. Frustrated, he threw it to the ground.

He could think of only one person to fall back on – Aralyn. It didn't take him a second to press her digits.

"Damon, I don't want to-"

"It's Elena." He cut her off midsentence. "Katherine has taken her and I couldn't think of anyone else who could be useful." His honest confession took Lyn by surprise and then her brain processed what he was saying. Her eyes grew wide with shock.

"I'll be right there." She hung up.

It didn't take Lyn long to reach the Salvatore boarding house. She had brought Amelia with herself. Stefan looked at Amy, confused. "She's a tracker." Damon explained.

"Amy, I want you to find her sweetheart, can you do that for me?" Lyn beside Amy on the couch as her little fingers mechanically picked a pin from the metallic pin box that rested on the table. She was in a complete state of trance, her eyes closed, brow creased. She finally placed the pin on a tiny spot on the banks of the Delaware and Schuykill river. It didn't take Lyn long to realize that Elena was at the safe house with Isobel. Once she explained Damon and Stefan how she had come to such a conclusion, the two of them had left with immediate haste.

Amy was fascinated by the huge library the Salvatore boarding house boasted and was quick to select a book. She was an avid reader. Lyn realized she had never spent a leisurely moment in this house before. Her previous encounters had been too bloody and ones she chose not to remember. She secured all the doors and windows of the house, knowing they were anything but safe in a house that was an open invitation to anything supernatural.

She called up Alec to know his whereabouts and was informed about the fact that Bonnie had been successful at harnessing the power of the hundred dead witches. They were now headed home. She warned them to be on their guard at all time informing them about the disappearance of Elena.

No sooner had she closed her eyes for a brief moment than a vision was floating into her periphery.

"_And instead, you got to meet the other part… The part that would betray her own flesh and blood." Isobel spoke with a sad glint in her eyes to a confused Elena. It looked like they were amidst a graveyard, Elena positively terrified._

_Isobel spoke to someone on the phone as Elena looked on. The sun was still shining bright. The flowers on the graves shifted due to the light breeze in the openness of the vast graveyard._

"_Who was that?" Elena asked, suspicious. She was scared to hear the answer to that question herself._

"_I'm so sorry Elena… I've been such a disappointment to you." Tears escaped her eyes, confusing Elena utterly._

_Isobel took off her ring and walked right into the sunlight, her scream deafening as she burned in the evening sun. Elena stood shocked, rooted to the ground._

Lyn's eyes snapped open. Her mind was racing. Isobel was dead and Elena was not where Amy had pointed her to be. Once again, Isobel had been brilliant in swapping place to place, tactfully rendering Amy useless. The first thing she did was to inform Damon.

"She's _not_ here." His voice was rather harsh, angry, worried.

"I know." Lyn snapped at him, not knowing the reason for her sudden rage. She quickly composed herself and iterated the details of the dream she had had supplying them with Elena's exact whereabouts. All she could do now was waiting.

John stirred on the floor, gaining consciousness. "Hey, let me help you." Lyn helped him to the couch, positioning him comfortably. "Are you okay?" John noticed the sincerity of her concern. "My head is killing me." He held on to his temples, massaging them roughly. Lyn went over to where her bag lay and pulled out a pill and returned to John with a glass of water.

"Here, have this, you'll feel better." She helped him. "Thanks." He muttered, flushed at her helpful gesture. Uncomfortable she put some distance between the two of them. "What exactly happened?" she questioned, after waiting a while as John got accustomed to his surroundings.

* * *

><p>Damon returned to Lyn in serious conversation with John Gilbert. He could feel bile rising from the pits of his stomach. In an instant he pinned Jonathan Gilbert to the side wall.<p>

"I swear I had no idea what she was gonna do. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He muttered weakly against Damon's icy grip that almost chocked him.

"Let him go." Elena's familiar voice sounded like sweet melody to Lyn's ears.

"Elena?" She hugged the teen. "I was so worried. Are you alright?" she looked at her with eyes full of concern. Elena simply nodded and pulled Lyn into another hug. The two of them had formed a special bond over the past few weeks which hadn't required words. Probably it was because both of them were in the same life threatening situation having everything to lose.

As Elena eased herself a bit, they discussed what was to be done next. Stefan put a stack of papers in Elena's lap.

"It's the deed to our house. Once you sign it, it will be in your name." Stefan explained.

"You're giving me your house?" Elena quizzed, astounded.

"Isobel had the right idea about a safe house. You can stay here till it's all over. That way you can control who gets invited in and who doesn't." Lyn reasoned, impressed by Stefan's idea.

"What about you?" Elena looked at her worriedly. "You need to be taken care of just as much as me Lyn."

"Elena, my house is safe enough. Not even Stefan has been invited in, yet." She smiled charmingly, at once putting Elena at ease.

"But that's not enough Lyn. We need to be more cautious. Atleast let Damon-"

"No." She cut Stefan off before he could suggest anything more. The last thing she wanted was to have Damon around in the same house. "I can handle myself Stefan. I'll tell you when I need help."

"Oh stop playing Wonder woman, will you?" Damon snapped angrily. He wanted to protect her, he needed to protect her, for her safety, for his mental sanity. Lord knew how he was going to get her to agree but he would be there for her, whether she needed him to be or not.

"Oh you're one to talk Damon?" She snapped back at him. "I think I made myself clear, so stay out of it." Lyn was trembling with anger but picked up a sleeping Amy from the sofa she had fallen asleep in, gently and headed for the door.

"Good night, John." She smiled ruefully at him before exiting the door.

Damon's accusing glare at John was one he would never want to have earned again. He left just as quickly.

"What is going on between the two of you?" Stefan and Elena waited for an answer.

"A disagreement." He replied nonchalantly.

"Oh that seemed to be more than just a disagreement." Elena retorted.

"Alright. We fought." He knew he couldn't give away details or Lyn would never even entertain his apology if he was giving her one of those. "About?" Elena pressed. He looked at her, contemplative. Stefan knew his brother better. In a moment he was standing close to Damon, "Whatever it is, stop being such an asshole and get her." Damon feigned confusion at Stefan who sped up to his room with Elena in his arms. For once, he was going to do exactly what his brother had suggested, no matter the clichés.

* * *

><p>Lyn had tucked Amy into the comfort of her bed and Alec was fast asleep in his. She went downstairs to make sure every window and door was locked. Suddenly she had an eerie feeling of being followed. She turned around, her hands glowing, ablaze as she moved cautiously – no one. She inspected room by room, finding nothing.<p>

A shadow out of nowhere appeared on the wall of the stairway. Lyn hurried upstairs but found no one. She thought she was being paranoid. It had been a long day. She eased out of her robe, throwing it at the sofa on the far end only to realize it hadn't exactly landed there. She turned with a fright.

"Blue agrees with your skin." Damon quipped, sitting on the lone sofa, his eyes not quite meeting hers. He heard the unusual beating of her heart and waited patiently for it to return to normal, clearly she was startled. There were a million things she wanted to say to him, but she had no energy to.

"Damon, please get out." She sighed, defeated. He didn't move an inch. "I owe you an explanation." He started moving towards her.

"You owe me an apology." She spat out, viciously. "That too." He agreed.

She found herself suddenly sandwiched between Damon and the wall. "I tried… every trick in the bag…" he was having difficulty forming sentences. "I tried to reason, I insulted you, thought you to be nothing but a distraction… nothing worked Lyn." He confessed painfully. Lyn could feel tears well up in her eyes.

'_Damn hormones.'_ She thought, angrily. She wasn't going to cry or so she was telling herself.

He looked at her with piercing blue eyes which were pools of sincerity. The more she stared into them, the more she remembered the first time she had seen then, she had been mesmerized, she had been captivated by them. "I can't stay away from you Lyn." Damon whispered his voice low and husky.

As much as she wanted to grab him and assault his mouth at that instant, she had more pressing issues to handle. "You treated me like a prostitute, making me feel filthy about myself. I will never forgive you for it." She knew what she said wasn't true, but it was her pride talking.

"Lyn," Damon was finding it hard to put his apology into words, "I only said that to keep you away from me, but I can't stay away from you anymore. How do I redeem myself?" he cupped her face in his palms, looking deeply into her eyes, defeated, almost surrendering, almost.

"I'm not your play toy Damon. You can't just…" she moved away from his touch, afraid she'd want more, much more.

He knew he had to say it and as much as it excited him, the idea of it scared him. "Lyn, I love you." He drew in a sharp breath before continuing. "I love you Lyn and I'm not giving up even if you won't have me." The conviction in his words were too hard to be disbelieved and a confession from Damon Salvatore was like a cherry on the cake - a forbidden cherry in his books. Even before he could say another word, Lyn was crushing her lips to his cold yielding ones. Tears streaked her face and the taste of him, the taste of her and her tears were all jumbled into one hot mess. Her lips were passionate, furious, demanding and everything he hadn't been expecting. He simply couldn't resist commenting.

"So much for an apology." He chuckled as she held the hair at the nape of his neck pulling him to look at her in the face.

"Shut up or I'll throw you out for good. I swear." Lyn muttered against his lips. The sound of his throaty laughter made her smile. His girl was back.

Damon's hand instantly curled around the bottom of her hips as she wrapped her shapely long legs around his waist, her hands tangled around his neck.

Lyn cried out in surprise and laughed when Damon threw her on the bed, her body bouncing off her large double sized mattress, sinking into the white comforter. Lyn tried to save the pillows that fell away but Damon was quicker in distracting her, as she felt him settle over her. She spread her legs wide and grabbed the collar of his shirt, tugging him in between her thighs, and his hard, muscled body settled into her.

"God, you feel so good," Lyn mumbled, her eyes closed involuntarily, savoring the feel of him.

"And you smell delicious," he said against her neck, the vibrations causing her nipples to tighten and her chest to tingle. His tongue swept the expanse from her neck to the material of her satin chemise, raising goosebumps on her skin. She shuddered with pleasure.

She moved her hands to undo the buttons of his shirt while he pulled her chemise over her head. Damon frowned. "Why do you always have to have so many clothes on you?" he whined seeing that she hadn't discarded her bra yet. "Where's the fun in having it easy baby?" she chuckled, pushing his shirt off his shoulders, revealing his godly physique. She flipped them over, taking charge. The sight of his toned torso and the sinewy chords of muscles that refused to go unnoticed only enticed Lyn to do what she had been wanting to since that night they had shared in Philadelphia.

She trailed soft kisses along his firm hard chest, licking his navel, moving to her destination, further south. Damon felt a tingling sensation, making him moan. Just as she was about to undo his belt, he turned them over again, making Lyn laugh, "My turn."

He snapped the joint of her bra with his teeth, tossing it into some corner of the room and wasted no time. His tongue laved over the extremely taut areola of her nipple before he finally sucked on to her whole breast, biting lightly at it. Lyn arched further, her hands tightly clenching the sheets on the bed.

He reached for his belt. She leaned forward then, helping him to tug the belt free from its loops, and her hands teased the rim of his jeans as she moved off of him as he rid himself of his clothes. Once she heard his jeans thud to the floor, Lyn re-exerted her dominance, pinning him to the bed, and kissing open-mouthed down his chest. Heart hammering in her chest, Lyn settled her wet core over him, his hard cock sliding between her slick lips and pressing into her, the bundle of nerves jumping and shocking every nerve ending up her spine, and the wetness increased. Her body began to heat, goose-bumps raised along her arms and the air in the room seemed to drop to a chill as Damon's hands danced up her sides, massaging her hips, fondling her breasts.

She didn't need to tell him what to do. It was as if he knew exactly how to play with her body, as if he was the artist and her body was his haven.

Damon leaned up, thrusting his hips so that his cock slid back and forth, jolting against her clit again and again, and took her mouth. Lyn felt possessed by him, his mouth owning her, his tongue moving over hers, exploring the cavern of her mouth, and his hands resting on her hips electrified her, making all of her stomach muscles clench, and the feel of him long and hard between her legs, made her moan into his mouth. They fit perfectly and Lyn had to stifle a loud moan in pleasurable pain when he drew back his hips, mindful of the presence of others in the house. This was a sticky situation.

"Damon," Lyn moaned, mouth breaking free from his.

Damon's hot mouth descended along her throat and traced her collarbone, almost as if learning the contours of her neck and shoulder and then making a moist descent to her right breast. His tongue once again laved over her areola and bit her nipple. A fiery thrill shot from her right breast to her left and down to her core – his prick moving in slow, paced rhythm, driving her desire higher.

"Harder, faster. Definitely faster," She whispered, her hands tangling in his hair, pulling his mouth from her aching breasts to her gasping mouth.

Thrusting hot, slick, fast – Damon sped up. Lyn thrust harder and harder, their flesh slapping slick and warm, adding to the ecstasy of their passion.

In a dizzying shift, Lyn was beneath him; Damon smirked down at her, triumphant. His thrusts became more frenzied; the power of his frame leaning into her, and the sinewy cords of muscle in his biceps surrounded either side of her when he laid his arms around her torso. Her arms slid up under his armpits and wrapped around his back, her nails digging into the groove of his shoulder blades. She was afraid she would buckle into a crumpled form in their heated passion.

Lyn wrapped her long, curvy legs around his hips, and breathed in his scent, wildness, leather, cologne, and something smoky – sandalwood. He hit her sensitive place and she muttered something indiscernible as he hit it over and over until she came, crying out his name as her orgasm crested. She peaked and her orgasm came in waves of wetness; once, twice, a third time simultaneously filling her completely.

Exhausted by the intensity of their lovemaking, Lyn breathed heavily as Damon collected her in his strong arms, their bodies sweaty and glowing under the pale moonlight. If Damon had thought that their first night was the best sex he had ever had, this was an out of the worldly experience, where Lyn had been a forceful, willing participant. He felt her shiver and snuggle closer to his form, neither of them uttering a word. Gently, he pulled over the comforter, covering the two of them. She traced small patterns on his firm chest. She kissed his chin softly. He crooked his head to catch her lips in another searing kiss. When they broke apart, he was astounded to see the look in her eyes.

It was one of hope, of awe, of love. It was a glance that Damon had always craved to have earned from the woman he loved ever since his days as a young man. He wiped a bead of sweat from Lyn's forehead and pulled her closer to him as she rested her head on his chest. It wasn't long before her breathing took to a soft rhythmic flow.

Damon knew he had found his woman and this time, he wasn't letting her go. She was his to keep and he would cherish her, love her, and protect her to the very last cell of his body.

* * *

><p><em>Well well, they couldn't keep their hands off eachother for long now, could they?<em>

_Why does their relationship sound extremely familiar to a Scorpio-Scorpio relationship to me? _

_Maybe because it is :D_

_I'd love reviews! :)_


	16. A Friend in Need

_**CHAPTER 15:**_

Katherine's head throbbed with immense pain. She couldn't recollect what her surroundings had been before succumbing to the darkness. She groaned, her body numb with pain, slowly opening her eyes. She woke to see a warlock casting a spell on a body. Her eyes flitted to his face. Alaric. There were two vases – one was full of blood, the other was empty. Katherine instantly touched her neck, hoping that she still had the necklace which she had stolen from Elena. Much to her shock and disappointment, it was gone. Finally after what seemed like eternity, Alaric opened his eyes. The warlock bend his knees.

"Alaric?" Katherine muttered cautiously. The snide smirk on his face however told her otherwise. Fear gripped her heart like a bird with clipped wings and she rushed towards the door, only to realize she was trapped.

Katherine felt a strong male presence behind her and she slowly turned around to see Alaric standing behind her, a triumphant smirk on his face. "Zdravei, Katerina." He took her face in his hands, leaning closer to breathe her scent. Katherine shook with fear. This was her worst nightmare. "I have missed you." Alaric muttered huskily. It didn't take long for Katherine to know who possessed Alaric.

"Klaus!" her eyes turned expressionless.

* * *

><p>Lyn was woken by the sensations that were left behind by Damon's trailing kisses on her stomach. She smiled, content, shifting her position.<p>

"Good morning gorgeous." He whispered against the smooth skin of her navel. She pulled his face back to hers, kissing him deeply. "A very good morning indeed." She smiled at him lazily and Damon could feel her warm aura engulf him. She was his personalized sun. Damon deepened the kiss, her mouth instantly granting him easy access he sought and his tongue fought for dominance. He gently bit into her lower lip, drawing her warm, delicious blood. Savouring the enriched liquid, enjoying the impulsive vigor it brought to his body.

The alarm clock brought Lyn back to reality. Damon threw it to the floor in annoyance, pressing his body to her plush, naked, warm one, caressing every curve, every corner with sensual tenderness. It was turning Lyn on and she felt herself succumbing to the sexual desire that Damon reignited. His luscious lips slowly moved towards her firm nipples, licking, sucking, pleasuring it to the extent it ached with contentment. Her hands found his hard length, and she was beyond glad to realize the effect she was having on him – he was rigid. She stroked him, gently at first, then increasing the pace gradually. In a frenzied fit, Damon caught her lips in his and settled into her already wet folds she moaned with pleasure, her eyes never once leaving his face.

"Hmm…" she sighed in contentment. "If that's how you wake me up every morning, I'm keeping you prisoner." She mumbled as he thrust gently into her, his rhythm a steady, comfortable, teasing one. He chuckled at her honest confession.

She heard a door open and then close, knowing that it was time for her to descend from her dream cloud and embrace reality. Reluctantly, she pressed her lips to Damon's stealing one last chaste kiss before grabbing her chemise from the floor and pulling it over her head. Damon relished the sight of his girlfriend's curvy body, his eyes darkening with lust. She tied her robe around her, covering herself and winked at him before exiting through the door.

Half an hour later, when he joined her in the kitchen, a bubbling Amy ran straight to him in all her excitement. "Will you make me those eggs you'd made the other day?" she demanded more than asking, Lyn and Alec smiled at Amy's innocent request, blissfully unaware that she was making a creature of the dark her personal maître d'! Damon whisked her onto his shoulders, placing her on the kitchen island, obliging her request.

Lyn took her seat next to Alec, helping him out with his Mathematics homework. She felt her eyes fleeting every now and then to steal glances at the animated conversation between Damon and Amy. She imagined the thought of the four of them together. They looked like a happy family at that instant. She wondered how she would have liked to see this more often, Damon's eyes suddenly met hers and he smirked, smug that he had caught her staring. She looked away, feeling foolish for having imagined such a thing. She turned her attention to Alec.

An hour later, a surprise visit from an old friend was the best possible gift she could have asked for. She rushed into the living room to see Alec embracing the only other person she had ever learned to trust – the one person who had been with her through her darkest.

She ran into his arms, making him stall. He laughed at her excitement. "You didn't tell me you were coming!" Damon was curious regarding the identity of the stranger Lyn was showering her affections on.

"If I did, it wouldn't be quite a surprise now, would it love?" he had a distinct British accent with traces of evident Irish. Standing at six feet two inches and lean, the man had chiseled features, high cheek bones and the color of his hair a dark auburn.

"God I've missed you so much." Lyn stood on her tip-toes, hugging him.

"Alright, I'm ready." Amy hurried down the stairs, stopping suddenly when she saw their new visitor. A gleeful smile played on her lips.

"Amy, you do remember uncle Edmund, don't you?" Lyn encouraged. "We met him in New York? Went with him to Disney World?"

The sight of the happy family suddenly made Damon uncomfortable and Lyn realized she had forgotten about him amidst the excitement. She stood close to Damon. "Ed, this is Damon." Comprehending from their closeness, it didn't take him long to figure out. "Someone special." He smiled. "Someone very special." She looked at Damon with pride.

Amy and Alec had almost forcibly dragged Edmund with them to drop them off at school. They had grown extremely fond of him during their stay at New York. She felt a wave of relief engulf her with his presence in their vicinity. "Who was that?" Damon's voice was laced with suspicion no matter how hard he tried to hide it. "You do sound extremely sexy when you're jealous." She purred in his ears huskily.

"Why don't we continue what we left off in your bedroom and I'll show you exactly how jealous I can be." He swept her off her feet, bridal style, with the aim of finishing what they had started.

* * *

><p>The two of them headed to the Salvatore boarding house shortly after Lyn had showered and minutes before leaving for college. Damon stayed outside with Stefan while Lyn joined Bonnie and Elena along with a lawyer in the reception area.<p>

"Lyn!" Elena smiled at her, calling her over.

"So this place is all yours? They just gave it to you?" Bonnie enquired, too stunned.

"For now. As the sole owner, I'm the only one who can invite a certain type of person here. If you know what I mean." Elena explained.

"Wouldn't wanna clean it!" Lyn mused looking at its enormity. The three of them laughed.

Mr. Henry, the lawyer explained the legal paraphernalia to Lyn while Elena went to invite the two waiting Mr. Salvatores inside.

Once he left, Lyn joined her at the door.

"What are we? 12?" Damon questioned, annoyed.

"One of us is. If I let you in, do you promise to obey the owner of this house?"

"No." Damon didn't even have to think twice about it. The fact that Elena was even asking it of him seemed silly and ridiculous.

Upon insisting on Elena's part, Damon finally had to agree to her terms and entered the house Lyn was smirking at him, trying to stifle a laugh. He eyed her with mock anger and pulled her into his arms, planting a deep kiss on her lips, leaving the other three in complete shock. She pushed him away, eyes amused, a smile on her lips. "Behave." She laughed nervously. "Well technically, you are my girlfriend which means I can kiss you, make love to you and do anything I want with you anywhere, anytime." His carefree attitude had been one of the main reasons for which she had fallen for him.

"Are we missing something?" Bonnie asked, shocked.

Lyn picked up her belongings and the keys to her car and joined the two of them as they headed towards the door. "Yes. School." She stated simply.

Comprehending the situation, Damon crossed over towering in front of the trio. "No, no, no. We didn't create a safe house for you to leave it."

"Damon, I know Klaus is out there, but where?" Lyn reasoned. "Look, I appreciate what you guys are doing but I'm not going to be a prisoner." Elena urged, looking at Damon.

"Your way, Elena." Damon sighed frustrated.

Lyn mouthed silently, "Be nice." Her pleading eyes couldn't make Damon disagree to the request they held in them.

* * *

><p>"So what exactly is going on between Damon and you?" Bonnie asked, skeptical, the two girls looking at Lyn cautiously as if she had lost her mind. Well considering how avid a lover Damon was, she would be willing to lose her mind over and over again if he would make love to her the way he had. They had arrived at the school parking lot.<p>

"Don't look at me like that. I'm the victim here, not the accused."

Her cell phone beeped and she read the text._ "Watch out wonder woman. Sexy beast awaits you at home."_ She laughed lightly at Damon's references. His care and concern were all she could ever have asked for even if they came in the most bizarre comportments!

* * *

><p>At lunch, she received a call from Elena asking her to meet with her. The two of them headed towards the common cafeteria located in the education campus.<p>

"What's wrong?" she asked concerned.

"There's something wrong with Alaric." Elena murmured, unsure. She explained to Lyn his unusual behavior. She hadn't heard from him for quite a while, herself. "That seems odd." Lyn agreed. As the three of them sat together on a table, Lyn recognized the face of one of her students. She was hurrying in her direction, a smile plastered on her face.

"Miss Klinsman?" The girl chirped happily. "Yes darling how can I help you?"

"This is going to sound totally freaky but this really hot guy asked me to ask you if you would go to the decade dance with him tonight?" The blonde haired girl mused. Her plastic smile annoyed Lyn. She tried to read her mind, but it was blank. She wasn't aware of her own actions.

"I already have a date, thank you." Lyn declined politely.

"You could atleast meet him. He'll be at the dance tonight. Look for him. His name is Klaus." Lyn couldn't believe her ears.

"Where is he?" Bonnie surveyed the cafeteria, hoping to catch a glimpse of a man with the description Lyn had supplied, her own eyes searching.

"I don't know." She was slap-happy and Lyn wanted to slap her just as much.

"She's being compelled." Elena realized.

"Oh and Elena, he wants to know if you could save him the last dance. How cute is that?" with that she left. Worry lines creased their faces. The mind games had begun.

Once Elena and Bonnie had left for classes, Lyn decided to call on Ric. His phone went unanswered. She tried a second time without any success. Finally she settled on sending him a text and hurried back to the college.

* * *

><p>Klaus read the message that was received on Alaric's cell phone. It was from the one he had much coveted to hear from. He was yet to be acquainted with her and the anticipation was killing him. <em>"Just wanted to check if you were okay. Haven't heard from you in a while. See you later! Lyn."<em> It read. The small direct communication between them, even if she was unaware of the fact that it was him made Klaus smirk. He had only imagined of the day he'd meet his match a million times and here she was. It wouldn't be long before they were formally introduced.

* * *

><p>By the time she reached back home, Lyn was tired. The staff meeting at college regarding the revision of syllabus had been a cacophony of nothingness which only enhanced her belief of how desperately the policy makers needed to pay more attention into the education system. Her head was throbbing and the incident that had occurred in the afternoon hadn't been forgotten either.<p>

Much to her relief, she found Edmund, Alec and Damon playing video games while Amy cheered them on. Her world was turning upside down and much to her surprise; she was really beginning to enjoy this upside down world of hers. Damon winked at her, he was attuned to her presence, and she smiled tiredly.

"Lyn, I've been waiting you for." Ed signaled her to join him on the couch, making space. She plopped herself between Damon and Edmund. Once Alec had taken his sister to the other room, assisting her with her homework, Edmund was quick to harp on the subject matter at hand.

"You look like the dead." Her murmured, cupping her face in his hands. "All hasn't been quite so good Ed." He had been told so by Damon. The men had chosen to acquaint themselves with one another. Evidently, they were just as much an indispensible part of her life as family.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I'd have shifted base if the circumstances were normal, but…" Lyn covered her face with her hands, her shoulders hurt as she hunched. "How long are you going to be here for?" She enquired, amidst other things. She was seeing him after months and yet they hadn't been able to have time for even a decent conversation.

"Just the night." He hesitated before continuing. Edmund looked at Damon, as if needing reassurance for what he was about to say next. Damon nodded slightly. The two of them had infact devised what Damon considered a diabolical master plan. "Now listen to me carefully." He continued, explaining to Lyn the plan that Damon and he had devised.

* * *

><p>Lyn felt a cold hand trace along her jaw-line. She didn't have to open her eyes, a content smile already spreading on her lips. She lifted her face up, searching, eye closed, until Damon's lips made contact with hers. Her hands snaked around his neck and she pulled him closer to herself.<p>

"Why did you go?" she murmured softly against his lips. He shifted her to the side, sliding beside her into her comfortable bed.

"Thought you might wanna catch up with your hip buddy making me feel like a complete unwanted intruder" he whispered between the chaste kisses he trailed along her neck. His reply amused her, "Are you telling me you're jealous that Edmund and I are joined at the hip?" She pushed him away, a gleeful expression on her face as she searched his for an obvious frown.

"Me? No, why would I be jealous. I _am_ the sexiest non living, living person. You see girls just cannot resist my good looks, my charm, my style… and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift." He wiggled his eyebrows at Lyn seductively and she burst out into laughter at his convoluted bragging. "That's it. You just killed my buzz." Damon sighed frustrated, climbing off her, lying on her side.

"I'm curious though." He contemplated. "Hmm?" Lyn urged. "Were the two of you ever a thing?" Lyn absolutely loved this side of Damon. His constant jealousy and desire for her was somehow giving her a very sadistic pleasure, if she could admit it.

"If you're trying to ask whether we ever went all the way, the answer to that would be – we were close." She suddenly found her hands pinned to her side and Damon settled over her. Their lips only inches away as he studied lustfully, the luscious cavern of her mouth. She tried to capture his lips, but he deliberately moved away, teasing her. "You're mine." He whispered huskily, his expression somber.

"Then show it to me." She challenged and he did exactly what he was best at doing.

It felt oddly relieving that despite the eminent peril, how the slightest presence of the significant other took them both to an alternate reality where not even a homicidal hybrid could ruin their best moments.


	17. The Last Dance

_A month down and I have close to 1000 visitors, and 5000 hits! Woohooo! All of your guys are awesome. Thank you so very much for your continued support. And thanks a billion for all those reviews and story alerts! Also, since I'll be back to college this week, the frequency of my updates may be a little inconsistent but I assure, I won't keep you waiting for long! We'll have quite a bit to read during the break! :)_

_So, here, I won't keep you waiting for long. _

_Happy reading! :)_

* * *

><p><strong><em>CHAPTER 16:<em>**

The following morning, Lyn was bidding an emotional good bye to Amy and Edmund. As had been agreed, Edmund was the only one she could trust completely with regard to Amy's safety. Also, Amy had been hoping for a change in her surroundings and this would serve as a great get away for the little one, keeping her beyond danger's reach. She was emotional, yes. The future held a gloomy shadow of uncertainty and Lyn wasn't proud to accept the fact that she was being a poor fighter. She covered Amy's face with kisses and hugged Edmund tightly, not letting him go for a long time, afraid that it was the last time she would ever see the two of them.

She quickly shoved that discouraging thought aside. She was a fighter. She had to fight. She had meandered her way through tough situations before and she tried to convince herself that now was no different.

"I will see you soon champ. You're stronger than you think. Don't disappoint me." Edmund has whispered into her ear when she had pulled him into a tight hug. His encouraging words had only fueled the fire within Lyn.

With Amy gone, she had one person less to worry about. Now it was all about Alec and her. Damon's arms snaked around her waist, his chin rested on her shoulders while his face was buried into her dark wavy hair, breathing her musky scent. "I'm gonna miss that little one." He muttered, taking Lyn by surprise as much as himself. He wasn't exactly one who had valued family… much, considering he had never been showered with familial affection.

* * *

><p>The day had carried on in a rather unusually quite manner. Bonnie, Elena, Stefan, Damon and Lyn were discussing their course of action in the reception area of the Salvatore boarding house.<p>

"So we go to the dance and we find him." Damon stated simply, making himself a glass of bourbon from behind the counter as he made his way to sit next to Lyn on the couch, his hand slinging over her shoulder.

"Really? How are we going to do that? We only have a vague idea of how he looks." Stefan sounded skeptical.

"Well for starters something tells me he is not going to be 16 and pimply." Damon snapped sarcastically at his brother's pessimism. The last thing that they needed in this situation was sibling spite.

"He could be anywhere at any time. He compelled someone at school." Stefan continued.

"Then I guess we'll have to look harder, won't we?" Lyn challenged, not ready to give up without a fight. The fighter's spirit was evident in her eyes and the spark that it brought to her face was a sight to be relished.

A slight knock at the door puzzled everyone. Alaric entered with haste. "Sorry, I'm late." He stopped momentarily as his eyes rested on the figure of Aralyn Klinsman. Lyn looked at him and smiled, analytical.

"There you are. I will need you to put me down as a chaperone for the dance tonight." Damon explained to Ric, handing him a glass of alcohol.

"You're not chaperoning unless you want me to find myself a new date." Lyn dismissed the idea instantly. Alaric's quizzical look between the two of them made Lyn uncomfortable. Something about him seemed anomalous, Lyn however couldn't trace it. "Don't pretend like you didn't know it would happen." Damon put a hand on Ric's shoulder and smirked.

As the others continued with their discussion, devising methods to kill Klaus, Lyn couldn't help but notice Alaric's every move. He looked a little unsure for his usually determined character, his way of clothing had changed and Lyn noticed that never before had he worn an all black outfit as he did now. She probed into his mind, hoping to seek answers that vexed her troubled one but the harder she tried, the stronger the resistance she was met with. Never before had she encountered trouble when it had come to reading Ric's thoughts.

A loud thud against the wall shook Lyn out of her reverie. She heard Damon groaning and he struggled to his feet. "It doesn't matter if he is an original. I can take down anyone down who comes at me." Bonnie had a testing look in her eyes. There was one small glitch however in Bonnie's plan and Lyn had made a mind to discuss it with Bonnie later.

For the moment she concentrated on Ric. She put an arm on his shoulder and he turned around, smiling at her. "Are you alright Ric? I haven't heard from you in the past few days." She searched his eyes for answers; they were opaque, giving nothing away.

"Yeah, I've umm… been having a tough time." He replied, non committal. Everyone had slowly begun dispersing and Ric excused himself conveniently. Damon's arms snaked around Lyn's waist. "Something the matter?" he turned her around to face her. "I don't know Damon. Did you notice anything out of place with Ric?" she enquired, glancing at his retreating form and Damon gave her a questioning look. "May be I'm just being paranoid." She sighed in frustration.

"I'll see you later." She kissed Damon quickly before untangling herself from his arms.

* * *

><p>Bonnie was just about to open the door of her car when she was interceded by Lyn. "Hey, do you have a minute?" Bonnie nodded in agreement, tensing at once looking at the somber expression on Lyn's face.<p>

"Alec told me everything." Lyn continued and Bonnie sighed, her eyes tearful. She simply shrugged.

"Bonnie, you can't do this. Not if you're…" she found it too hard say it out loud. "If I'm going to die?" bonnie completed the sentence for Lyn.

"We don't have an option Lyn. Atleast let me give it a shot." Bonnie pleaded. She knew what Bonnie said was making sense but somehow, the idea of putting her in harm's way wasn't a very appealing one.

"Then you have to let me do something for you in return." Lyn pressed. "What?" Bonnie asked skeptical. "Let me help you when I can and let Alec resurrect you to life if things go wrong. Do not refuse if he offers you his blood Bonnie. You have to let me do this for you." Lyn pleaded. Bonnie wore a pained expression on her face. She wasn't in a position to give assurances and hoped desperately that Lyn wouldn't stop her from performing her duty when she was called to do so.

"Don't worry. You won't turn into a vampire." She tried to lighten the mood bringing a small nervous smile to Bonnie's face. Now all they could do was wait for Klaus's next move.

* * *

><p>"Ah, you were right. The witch is all juiced up and aiming to kill." Klaus entered Alaric's apartment.<p>

"That's terrible." Katherine muttered disinterested, her cheeks tear strained and her thighs bleeding profusely. He knelt down next to her, taking the knife from her hands and wiping the blood off it with his finger. "Now if only you had listened to me my dear." His expressions changed from wicked amusement to disguised fury, reminiscing her betrayal. He traced the knife along her smooth cheek, leaving an open cut before he thrust the knife hard into Katherine's wounds causing her to scream in pain.

"We're going to have to kill her Maddox." He called out to his warlock who was fixing a drink on the kitchen counter.

"There's a high school dance tonight and I'm going to need you to take out witch bitch." He continued, sipping on his bourbon.

"If she has that much power then she can sense me coming from a mile away. I won't be able to get near her. You'll have to do it yourself." Maddox explained to Klaus the method and cast a spell on Alaric's body to enhance it's durability.

"Did you finally meet your lady?" A familiar smirk returned to Klaus's face. Her fingers had felt too soft on his shoulders, her voice was melodious like a nightingale and her ferocious beauty was such that it demanded attention. Her eyes were dancing with concern when she had spoken to him, the worry giving her a realistic form against her divine beauty. Her eyes were a luminosity of emotion she tried to mask.

Klaus could imagine the feel of her fragile fingers against his skin, the feel of her lips on his. It was a delectable idea. He couldn't wait to hear her precious comments when she'd see him in his own glorious form.

* * *

><p>Lyn struggled to tie the knot of her halter 60s fashioned dress. A chill ran down her spine as she felt cool hands trace the contours of her back. Damon marveled at the smoothness of her skin. He couldn't resist the urge of planting small chaste kisses along the length of her shoulder and neck. He bit into her soft skin, gently nibbling at the wound in her punctured skin. She abruptly unlatched herself from the hold of his fangs, blood oozing from her fresh wound, but his hands held a strong hold on her wrist as she turned uncomfortably in his arms.<p>

The bloodcurdling black veins danced around the curvature of his eyes. Eyes that would under ordinary circumstance have swept her off her feet, make her forget the reality. She gasped seeing the bloodlust in his black eyes, panic evident in her eyes although knowing she didn't have anything to fear. It however reminded her of the paranormal condemned creature he had become. The expression in her eyes wasn't alien to Damon. He had seen it before.

"Don't be scared of me." His whispered, pained. The veins began to wane, his fangs gradually disappeared and his eyes were the same mesmerizing blues once again. She lightly touched the hollows of his eyes where the veins had been, her fingers trembling. Damon didn't once hesitate, taking her hands in his and kissing it oh so lightly. Lyn smiled ruefully. He didn't show tender affection often, but this was one of the moments when he did and she cherished it. She loved this man more than she ever thought she would as both of them discovered a new side of them in eachother's presence.

"I didn't know professors were to look like flirting 60s teens at the dance." Damon whispered huskily in her ears, raising goosebumps on her heated skin. She had to use all the resolve she had to pull away from him if they had to make it to the dance on time. Damon helped Lyn wrap her white shawl around herself.

They headed downstairs to find Elena, Stefan, Alec and Bonnie waiting for them. Everyone was dressed up for a time Lyn had called mentally challenged for a long time.

"So this is it? Tonight we put an end to it." Stefan hoped his words were true.

"Yup, I guess so. I mean, I do feel empowered. I can feel them. I can handle this." Bonnie smiled as Alec and Lyn looked at her contritely. Damon's eyes seldom missed anything and he made a mental note to ask Lyn about her hidden trepidation later.

* * *

><p>Lyn's gaze was analytical the moment she had entered the venue and Damon could feel her tension. She noticed Dana, her student who had walked up to her during lunch time, climb the steps to the podium.<p>

"Thanks for being here everybody. We have a special shout-out tonight. This is for Ms. Klinsman." A preppy romantic track began playing in the background. Lyn eyed Damon suspiciously as she simply shrugged, his eyebrows arching.

"From Klaus." She finished and all eyes turned on her, her students clapping and smiling at her.

"That was a lame, cheap shot. Taking a shot at my girlfriend. Not cool." Damon nearly growled in anger.

"It's a party, people. Blend in. Let him come to us." Lyn suggested taking Damon's hands in hers as she led him to the dance floor. She placed his hands on her slender waist line while hers went to his neck, pulling him closer.

"I'm going to murder that sly bastard when I see him tonight." Damon muttered. "I'm sure you are." Lyn murmured in agreement pressing her lips to his. "You need to calm down. He wants us to be rash, Damon." She whispered in his ears as they danced to the beats of _'I'm just happy to dance with you'_ by the Beatles. Lyn had to agree the guy had good taste in music.

"If it serves as any consolation – your girlfriend has eyes only for you." She smirked at Damon. His eyes lit up at her effort to distract him. "How are you feeling?" he asked, knowing she was tense and she couldn't lie to him.

"Nervous?" she looked at Bonnie and Alec dancing behind them. Damon noticed them too.

"What was that about?" He asked and Lyn didn't need to ask Damon what he was referring to. She narrated everything that Alec had told her about Bonnie's capacity including the fact that she would infact die if she channeled the power of a hundred witches to kill Klaus. Damon sighed in acknowledgement, his mind racing.

He quickly turned the two of them around, taking Lyn by surprise. She heard him sing along the lines of the song.

"_Before this dance is through,  
><em>_I think I'll love you too,  
><em>_I'm so happy when you dance with me.  
><em>_I don't want to kiss or hold your hand,  
><em>_If it's funny try and understand,  
><em>_There is really nothing else I would rather do,  
><em>'_Cos I'm happy just to dance with you."_

She laughed at the seductive way he wiggled his eyebrows at her, his moves took her by surprise. Never once had to she guessed he was such a skilled dancer. "Never would have guessed bad boy Damon Salvatore was a skilled dancer." She laughed.

"Oh my darling, I've got moves you've never seen." He murmured huskily, wiggling his eyebrows at her, making her laugh even more.

"_If somebody tried to take my place,  
><em>_Let's pretend we just can't see his face,  
><em>_In this world there's nothing I would rather do,  
><em>_I've discovered I'm in love with you."_

* * *

><p>Lyn watched Alaric and Damon take a drink at the bar when Stefan joined her on the floor. He asked her for her hand in gentlemanly fashion making Lyn smile. The brothers sure did know how to make a lady happy. Her eyes kept stealing glances at Damon, not quite being able to comprehend Ric's thoughts. He seemed too off beat.<p>

"You know my brother really loves you." Stefan's unexpected admission took Lyn by surprise. "Damon hasn't been this concerned about anyone from how much I've seen of him." Stefan confessed, making her smile. He was now dancing with Bonnie, the two of them engrossed in conversation as Elena danced with Alec.

Damon returned to her side only too quickly before she could even tell anything to Stefan. "Well well brother, trying to woo my girlfriend, are you?" Stefan instantly back away while Lyn rolled her eyes. "You might want to explain our diabolical plan to Vampire Barbie." Damon nodded in the direction of Caroline and Stefan left nodding in agreement as they assumed their previous position.

"You know you are monopolizing me." Lyn teased him. "Of course you cannot resist the eternal stud." Damon smirked, triumphant.

"The eternal stud? Is that _really_ what you're calling yourself?" Damon quirked his eyebrows seductively at her again before turning her around.

* * *

><p>Klaus watched from the bar, the intimate exchanges between Damon and Aralyn, his jaws flexing in a sudden fit of rage and jealousy. She was his to keep. The fact that she reciprocated his actions made him want to rip out her heart. It felt to him as if she was trying to tempt him, tease him, make him want her more than he already did.<p>

She walked over to the bar after a few minutes, taking her place next to him.

"Hi Ric." She smiled, genuinely. He kept staring at her as she picked up her drink and took a sip. He wondered what it would feel like to taste those luscious lips against his own. Lyn set her glass down and turned to answer her phone smiling apologetically at Ric.

She returned in a few minutes to take another sip from her drink and suddenly felt giddy. "Lyn? Are you okay?" She heard Alaric's voice from a distant spot although his face was clear. "I need to use the washroom." She panted, not being able to breathe. Beads of sweat covered her forehead. "Let me help you to it." She felt Alaric's hands under her elbow as he helped her exit the door, her eyes searching for Damon's form.

She could feel her pores close, the heat in her body was rising by an abnormal range and she felt like she was burning. Lyn struggled to keep her eyes open. "Ric, where are you taking me?" she could see a deserted classroom in her periphery.

"Exactly where I need you to be, my _love_." The abrupt change in his tenor sent a chill down her spine. He pushed her into the empty room, her knees hitting the edge of the desk as she fell to the ground. Alaric bend on his knees, smiling at her, wickedly as he brushed aside, the strands of hair from her face.

"Klaus." She muttered, fearful, knowing she was trapped as he jabbed into her neck a syringe filled with translucent formula. The last thing she saw before succumbing to the darkness was his triumphant smirk.

* * *

><p>Damon's worried gaze swept the room as he remained unsuccessful in locating Lyn. He thought repeatedly the last time he had seen her. Much to his disappointment, adding to his troubles further was the fact that he couldn't see Elena and Bonnie either. Upon enquiring with Alec he found that he wasn't aware of their whereabouts either.<p>

Damon didn't have a good feeling about the way things were playing out. He hurried out the door.

* * *

><p>Lyn struggled to open her eyes. It seemed like an eternity that she lay on her back. She contemplated her surroundings, making her realize the peril in the offing. With all the resolve she had, she pushed herself off the ground. Her body felt like it had broken into a hundred different pieces. Her knees buckled and she shrieked as she corrected her dislocated ankle.<p>

She tried to break open the locked door. When she didn't find any success, she began banging on the glass and screaming for help. Much to her dismay, there wasn't a soul who came to her rescue. She knew she had to get out of this place if she was to do anything. She stood at a distance and concentrated all her energy on the desk that lay in front of her. She picked it up and pushed it against the door. The glass on the door shattered into pieces as it lay broken on the ground. Lyn huffed, exhausted by the force of her actions. She needed time to recover but time was the only thing she didn't have.

Damon's mind was racing as checked classroom after classroom in search of Lyn, Elena or Bonnie. Anger shot through him at the thought of losing Lyn, only making him more determined in his efforts.

She ran into the nearest corridor to hear Bonnie and Elena's voices, only there was one, another – Alaric.

"Just relax Elena, you're not on my hitlist tonight." She heard Alaric say, "But you are." She ran to find Alaric's body against a wall and a frightened Elena. He began to stand again, and made his way with more surety towards them.

"I see you escaped, my dear." He flexed his jaw at the sight of Lyn. Elena ran to her side, distracting Bonnie momentarily. "Now did I mention I know a witch? So you'll have to hit me a lot harder than that." He rushed over to Bonnie again as she exerted even more force, throwing him to a shelf in the corner.

"Bonnie, you need to leave. He's just trying to wane away your power." Lyn screamed, trying to catch Bonnie's attention.

"If you destroy this body, I'll just need to find a new body. Maybe Alec this time." He smirked at the two of them, triumphant.

"Run, Go, go." Lyn hurried the teens away. "What about you?" Bonnie asked, concerned. "I'll try to hold him back for as long as I can. Just go." She looked Klaus, straight in the eye and he had to struggle against her strong hold.

Overwhelmed by her power, Klaus marveled, "It was about time, my _love_." His endearments troubled Lyn more than they should have as he kept progressing towards her. She was far too weak, afraid she wouldn't last long.

* * *

><p>Damon was met with Bonnie and Elena in the hallway.<p>

"Klaus is in Alaric's body. He's possessing it or something." Bonnie explained, tensed as Elena hurried to find Stefan.

"Where's Lyn?" He asked, his forehead creasing with lines of concern. "She's trying to hold him as long as she can." Damon's eyes widened with shock.

"Can you kill him?" His eyes were menacing. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time, even Bonnie couldn't deny that she felt intimidated by them.

"He has some kind of protection spell on him."

"You have the power of a hundred witches." He restated the facts, "Break it." He almost growled before heading in Lyn's direction.

* * *

><p>"If it isn't the lover boy for himself." Alaric muttered distracting Lyn momentarily as she turned around to spot Damon. Before Ric could even make his move, Damon was pinning him to the wall.<p>

"Damon let him go. He'll just shift bodies." Lyn tugged at his shoulder as he threw him into the cafeteria and locked the door behind him.

"What has he done to you." he looked at her, analyzing, pained, angry. The wounds on her skin were still fresh, the scent of her blood causing a tingling sensation in his nostrils as he fought the urge to feed on her blood. "That's not relevant now. We need to find the others." She stalled only after moving a few steps. Damon worriedly picked her in his arms and exited the door.

* * *

><p>Lyn had remained absent from the whole episode when Damon had explained to her the arrangement he had in mind. She was in perfect agreement and it didn't take her long to locate Jeremy and Alec.<p>

"Boys, I need to have a word with you." She signaled as the two of them joined her.

Damon appeared soon afterwards. "She's in there. You know what you have to do." He muttered nodding towards the backdoor entrance of the high school building.

When they reached the Salvatore Boarding house, an angry Elena leaped to her feet, screaming at Damon, "What did you do with her?"

"Will you please calm her down?" he looked in Stefan's direction, clearly annoyed.

"Don't talk to me like I'm not standing right in front of you." She accused him in fury.

"Elena, you need to calm down. Please." Lyn tried to bring some semblance noticing Stefan's obvious disapproval. "You knew didn't you?" Elena accused Lyn, jerking away from her touch.

"And you knew that if she harnessed all that power, she would die." Tears streaked her small face as she looked at Damon with hatred and disgust. Lyn had to control herself from expressing her displeasure.

"Yes, yes I knew." Damon said, non-committal. In a sudden fit of rage, Elena raised her hand to slap Damon, and Lyn rushed to stand before him, her eyes an angry hazel, directing their anger towards the young teen in front of her. "Don't you dare." She said menacingly, holding her hand in her strong grip before jerking it away.

"Bonnie cast a spell. She's alive, Elena. Bonnie is ok." He reassured her. She continued staring at Damon dubiously. "Bonnie had to die. Klaus using Alaric's body was a total surprise. She wasn't prepared for that. He wasn't going to stop and we weren't going to be able to stop him until he knew she was dead. He had to believe it." He said tenderly, taking her face between his palms. Her expressions were blank, the river of tears still continued to flow.

He began towards the stairs when Stefan stopped him. "You know you could have told me."

"How do I know when you're going to go blabbing things to your girlfriend?" He muttered sarcastically.

"You even understand what you put her through?" Stefan stated more forcefully this time, enraged by his brother's rash actions.

"See, that's why I didn't tell you. 'Cause you would have never been able to do it. You see Stefan, I don't mind being the bad guy. I'll make all the life and death decisions while you're busy worrying about collateral damage. I'll even let her hate me for it." He Damon signaled at Lyn and Elena who stood shocked. "But at the end of the day, I'll be the one keeping her alive." He rushed up his room.

After an uncomfortable silence that lasted for what seemed like eternity, Elena began, "Lyn, I'm sorry for –"

"Elena, it's about time you learn to fight for your life and appreciate what others are laying on the line to protect you because not many do that. I know you're close to Bonnie, but with the chaos right now and the possibility of losing the two of us, the last thing that Damon needs is to be condemned and to be made feel like a complete ass. Learn to acknowledge his efforts Elena. He wouldn't do it if he didn't care for you deeply." She snapped, not being able to control her anger any longer. Stefan tried to appease her but Lyn stopped him and joined Damon in his room.

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><p>She contemplated her surroundings noticing Damon stand with his back to her against the huge glass windows at the far end of his room. She had never been to his room before. It was simple, yet richly decorated. A huge king size four poster wooden bed occupied the centre of the majestic room covered with fine cream satin sheets. The walls were paneled a dark brown wooden finish, the crystal asymmetric lights shone a bright yellow, illuminating the room. On the side table there laid a tattered book, the side table lamp stood solitary on the other bedside table. The drapes on the window were a grand creamy color. It wasn't what Lyn had expected. She was a taken aback to say the least.<p>

"You were a bit harsh on her." He muttered, not turning to face her. "I know." She sighed feeling slightly guilty; the exhaustion she felt from the day was finally getting the best of her. In an instant Damon was standing before her, eyeing her with an emotion so deep in his eyes that she was afraid to even explore.

"I was half out of my mind when I couldn't find you today." He whispered, his voice hoarse, his fingers trailing her smooth skin. She couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Her body had acted purely on the adrenalin rush that had shot through her in an attempt to survive. The gravity of the situation hadn't dawned upon her until this very instant where she was standing in front of the man she loved, the man with whom she felt safe enough to let her guard down. Lyn leaned into Damon's physique and let her unshed tears flow. He didn't utter a word but just held her close to himself, simply enjoying the feel of her skin against his. The thought of losing her had never before dawned upon him as it had today and he would never admit it but it had sucked the life out of him. "I can't lose you Aralyn. Don't scare me like that again." His words made her sink into him further. She held on to him like he was her only hope, like he was her pillar of strength and she was nothing without him.

* * *

><p>Elena knocked on Damon's door before entering. She watched Damon and Lyn engrossed in serious conversation before the two of them turned to her.<p>

"Look, Klaus had to think she was dead. Your reaction had to be real." Damon tried to explain, uncomfortable.

"I understand why you did what you did." She nodded, not quite looking him in the eye. "Damon, I shouldn't have tried to hit you." She fidgeted with her fingers.

"Apology accepted." He quipped. "Elena, we need to kill Klaus. Real Klaus. Who will probably be coming to pay the two of you a visit now that he knows Bonnie is dead." He warned, uncomfortably.

"We'll find a way about it." Lyn muttered.

"I hope so." Damon looked at her with concern, afraid she was going to fall apart. He hadn't seen that ancient sadness in her eyes since the day she had had her first dream about Klaus.

"Lyn?" Elena's voice shook. "I'm sorry if I hurt you." Lyn just hugged her. "I'm sorry too if I was too harsh." The two of them were in a similar predicament and now was the time to project a united front. They had to stand by each other.

* * *

><p>Lyn searched Damon's cupboard for a shirt of her liking. She walked out of his huge bathroom in a thick towel. Damon smirked, his eyes darkening with lust at the sight of her curvy frame in the hideously large towel. He could see the water droplets that kissed her silky skin, refusing to fall off. "Stop staring at my butt Damon, I know I have a great one." She muttered, continuing to survey his wardrobe. The sound of his throaty chuckle was as exotic as the fabric of the dark shirts she examined. She noticed he only had dark colored outfits all folded immaculately. She finally picked a black satin shirt and slipped into it, letting the towel slip to the ground.<p>

When she walked back into the room, she had the pleasure of witnessing a shirtless Damon with a copy of 'Gone with the wind.' She quickly realized it was the transcript to the movie he had in hand and not the book itself. Damon couldn't help but notice the way his shirt clung to her curvy figure.

"Hmm, what could be sexier than a sexy man reading the transcript to a romance novel?" she laughed lightly, climbing into bed with him, snuggling up to him. He pulled her close to himself. She noticed the arc of his eye brows, the inward bend of his lips, the sharp chiseled features of his nose as he read intently, flicking pages of the novel.

"Read to me." She whispered, staring at him, mesmerized. He obliged, turning pages before he finally settled on the one he sought. Lyn leaned on his firm chest. "Alright. I'll read to you what I find the most meaningful part of the movie."

"_I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'll never understand or forgive myself. And if a bullet gets me, so help me, I'll laugh at myself for being an idiot. There's one thing I do know... and that is that I love you, Scarlett. In spite of you and me and the whole silly world going to pieces around us, I love you. Because we're alike. Bad lots, both of us. Selfish and shrewd. But able to look things in the eyes as we call them by their right names.__I've loved you more than I've ever loved any woman and I've waited for you longer than I've ever waited for any woman.__Here's a soldier of the South who loves you, Scarlett. Wants to feel your arms around him, wants to carry the memory of your kisses into battle with him. Never mind about loving me, you're a woman sending a soldier to his death with a beautiful memory. Scarlett! Kiss me! Kiss me... once...__ "_

Lyn pressed her lips to his instantly. She could relate to every word he had read. How were they any different, she wondered. He looked at her with astonished eyes, bewildered at her sudden reaction only realizing the irony and truth in the words he had just uttered. He did love her more than the two other women he had been in love with and they were alike in so many way. He returned her kisses with just as much passion.

He started at one corner of her mouth, worked his way to the center; his tongue teased her lips until she parted them. At his slow, stroking entry she found her whole body clenching, and it didn't relax until he hauled her against him and deepened the kiss.

By the time he released her, Lyn was shaking. He didn't look a hundred percent steady himself.

She felt his touch, featherlight on her forehead, smoothing her hair aside. He ran a finger down her nose, then traced the outline of her lips. Lyn took his finger into her mouth, nipped the pad between her teeth, heard his ragged breath as she soothed it with her tongue.

His hands roamed beneath the shirt, exploring the sensitized column of her spine, then moving around to cup her breasts. At that touch, Lyn couldn't stifle a cry. Damon pulled away, breathing heavily. The need in his eyes was exhilarating…and terrifying.

"First," he said unevenly, "I need to get rid of your incredibly sexy nightwear."

He dipped his head, took her mouth with certitude. Beguiled by his tongue's provocative exploration, Lyn lost the thread of her argument. She opened to his moist caress, felt a thick warmth spread through her, deadening any senses that weren't employed in touching and tasting Damon.

He flicked the buttons of her shirt undone, parted it to reveal her breasts, full and aching in her lacy bra. His eyes darkened, and when he lowered his mouth there, she thought her legs might collapse from under her. She leaned into him, felt his unmistakable hardness, and clutched at his hair. The shirt flew across the room leaving a completely unclothed Lyn in front of Damon.

"Your turn," she murmured, her hand fluttering toward his shorts. He peeled them off in one swift movement, and his glorious nakedness sent a familiar charge of desire through Lyn.

Damon touched a hand to her hip, then trailed a caress over her stomach, her breast, up her neck to her mouth.

She reached for him, and he shuddered, the guttural sound he made almost pained. He lowered himself over her so she could feel his hardness, feel how much he wanted her.

"My temptress, you're beautiful," he said hoarsely, meaning every syllable that escaped his mouth.

She was ready for him right then. But the seduc tion he performed with his mouth, with his hands, was tantalizingly, achingly slow. He found every inch of her, bringing her to a level of desire she hadn't dreamed existed. And just when Lyn thought she might die of it, he claimed her as his own.

Damon couldn't think of a better way to reassure himself that Lyn was his to keep and safe in his arms as she slept peacefully in his arms, her breathing even. The terrible thought of losing her had only made him realize what she truly meant to him and it shocked him as much as it made him happy. He finally had someone he could call his own.

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><p><em>What say you? <em>

_Please review! :) _


	18. Elijah

_Hey everyone! Sorry I kept you waiting long enough. I'm positively exhausted but its unfair if I keep you guys waiting. So here without speaking much is the update._

_Thank you so much for all the support and love - the reviews, the story alerts, the tags, the hits and the PMs :)_

_Happy Reading! :)_

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><p><em><strong>CHAPTER 17:<strong>_

The sun shone brightly, reflecting the perfection of the silhouette of the man who lay on the bed in deep slumber. Dark hair tousled, long eye lashes covering the beautiful eyes, the angular jawbone, the perfection of his broad shoulders made Lyn wonder if she was living a dream. She sat on his side of the bed, trailing her fingers along his shapely lips, mischievously. Damon stirred under the featherlight touch. He smirked, regaining his senses, eyes still closed.

He took her by surprise ghosting over her figure as he pressed her back to the soft mattress of the bed. "Ooh, I like the sex hair." She mused, flirtatiously at Damon as he pinned her hands to her side. Her wet hair spread wildly on the pillow, soaking the moisture. "I'll show you a lot more to like about me." He murmured seductively at Lyn as she eyed him challengingly. Her fingers trailed down his abdomen to his throbbing member and when she began stroking him teasingly, she had the pleasure of seeing Damon's eyes widen with surprise momentarily at her candor. Of course he wasn't complaining. "Someone's in an adventurous mood today." He mused, smirking.

"Elena?" Lyn's attention was momentarily side-tracked when she heard Stefan's voice, Damon groaned at the interruption. She tried to move but he held her to the bed, not wanting to let go. Lyn had to finally push him off her with her ability much to his annoyance and hers. "Duty calls, handsome." She shrugged.

The two of them abruptly descended the stairs, Damon still shirtless and Lyn in Damon's huge bathrobe.

"And why exactly can't you find your girlfriend this morning?" Damon walked casually to make himself a cup of coffee.

"Hey, have you seen Elena?" He asked Lyn.

"No. You should know, it's your girlfriend. Mine's right here and you successfully played buzz kill for the two of us this morning." Damon answered for her, handing her a cup of coffee too. She arched an eyebrow at him. "Last I knew, you weren't one for coffee?" she hadn't forgotten his atrocious behavior the following day after their first time. Damon smirked bumping his hip to hers in a playful mood, knowing her reference full well.

"I'll see you guys later. I'm in desperate need for change of clothes." She hurried to Damon's room and slipped into her clothes from last night, securely covering herself with her shawl. When she headed downstairs, Stefan was leaving Elena a message on her phone. She placed a hand on Stefan's shoulder, "She'll be fine. Give her a few minutes." He nodded, smiling at her.

"You're leaving, already?" Damon pouted pretentiously, blocking her way to the door.

"I think it'll be difficult to explain to my students why their professor turned up in class wearing clothes from last night." She reasoned, trying to push Damon aside. He caught her wrist, leaning close. "I can think of a few reasons." He murmured against her lips, kissing her deeply, knocking her out of breath. She squeaked in surprise when he squeezed her firm ass causing Damon to chuckle. "Moron." She murmured against his mischievously overpowering lips.

"Do call me if you need." She smiled at Stefan, reassuringly and headed for the door.

Stefan turned to see the door to the basement open. Bewildered and shocked he hurried towards it. Damon, confused by his brother's sudden fascination with the basement rushed to make a shocking discovery – Elijah's body was missing. It didn't take him long to put two and two together.

* * *

><p>Damon waited as Stefan spoke to Elena on the phone. He could feel his frustration resurface at her obviously stupid actions. What surprised him was her desperation to die to save the lives of the ones she loved. He could only call it a stupid plan, and trusting the original who infact had all the intentions of using her as Judas goat, was the cherry on the cake of stupidity.<p>

"Did she just hang up on you?" He asked disgusted when Stefan sighed in agreement, defeated. "She's lost it."

"If anyone can get him to help us kill Klaus, it's her." Stefan reasoned. "And Lyn too, but she's not running straight to resurrect a dead original." Damon snapped, angry.

"Bonnie is the way to kill Klaus, Stefan. He thinks she's dead. We have a chance with her."

"She'll kill herself in the process, Elena is looking for another way."

"Her way is going to get her killed so we need to find her and stop her." He began for the door when Stefan intercede him.

"You need to back off." Stefan pushed brother away from the door, blocking the only exit.

"You might be okay losing your girl but I'm not sitting here doing nothing when I can lose mine." Stefan did not have a response for that. He did not stop Damon as he bolted through the door to meet with Lyn.

* * *

><p>"Didn't know you missed me so much." Lyn muttered, not needing to turn around, knowing it was none other than Damon.<p>

"Elena resurrected Elijah to life." Damon stated in haste.

"What?" She turned around to face Damon, shocked. "Tell me you're kidding." She sat on the couch, nursing her throbbing head. "Let's all celebrate Halloween already." He muttered sarcastically taking his seat next to her.

"With the variety of species we have here, it sounds like a plan." She sounded equally frustrated. "What now?"

"I'm thinking of going rouge." Damon gave her a sly look and if she was being honest, she didn't like the idea of whatever sinister agenda he had planned for himself. "Watch out today." He gave her a quick peck on her lips and was gone before she could as much as react.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, Damon heard Stefan speak to Jenna on his phone.<p>

"Ah, Elena's not here at the moment. Is, uh, everything ok?" Stefan's voice was cautious.

Damon played eve's dropper to every syllable of their conversation, skeptical. "Wow, I'd love to lend you a hand, but you wouldn't want me to do anything stupid." He muttered sarcastically at Stefan when he looked at Damon for help.

"Is it seriously going to be like this?" Stefan sighed, defeated.

"You and your girlfriend are calling the shots, Stefan. I'm just… backing off." He taunted.

With Damon's obvious disapproval and non-cooperation, Stefan could think of only one other person who would assist him without question.

"Hey, are you busy?"

"_No, is something the matter?"_ Damon's jaws flexed at the sound of the voice that was only too familiar to him.

"Klaus… Alaric wants to meet Jenna. I'm heading over to her place now."

"_I'll be right there."_ As soon as she hung up, Damon was staring menacingly at Stefan. "Leave her out of it." But Stefan wouldn't budge.

* * *

><p>Lyn arrived at the Gilbert residence only to find what she feared.<p>

"Why are we talking about this?" she heard Jenna as she entered the house.

"Oh, look who we have here!" Alaric's voice feigned surprised happiness. His eyes were over analytical and bore into hers making Lyn uncomfortable. Jenna wore a questioning look on her face as Lyn went to stand next to her.

"Lyn you told me to come clean with Jenna and Jenna, you've been angry with me for keeping secrets." He said calmly, chopping vegetables with unusual composure. "I'm obsessed with vampires and this is one of my secrets. There. I said it." The quick change in his tenor was unsettling, confusing Jenna even more. She couldn't fathom the necessity of words that rolled of Ric's mouth.

Enraged by his behavior, "Get out." She ordered.

"Jenna…" he didn't sound too pleased, the lines on his forehead, rather intimidating.

"You heard her", Stefan restated and Lyn felt Jenna move behind her.

"I'm afraid I don't want to." Ric's voice changed to an abrupt menacing terror. "Fine then I'll go." Jenna began to collect her belongings.

In a second, Alaric grabbed Lyn and held her captive, holding the knife to her throat. She could feel its slicing sharpness infiltrate her skin as a trail of blood oozed out of the fresh wound.

"No one's going anywhere." He murmured menacingly.

"Stefan, get Jenna out of here." Lyn ordered, but he didn't move. "Leave Stefan." The black veins around his eyes surfaced and Lyn could see fear dancing in Jenna's eyes.

"Jenna go!" He screamed, she was too shocked to move. With great effort, Lyn forced Alaric's hand away from her throat, kicking him in the groin before she headed to the door, pulling Jenna along with her.

Jenna noticed the healing wound on her neck. "How are you…" she marveled but Lyn didn't bother explaining. She hurried them to the boarding house.

* * *

><p>"Elena?" Lyn called out rather annoyed, ushering a very shocked Jenna into the boarding house.<p>

"She's not here. You can leave a message." Damon muttered sarcastically, his attempt at humor clearly failing.

"She needs to be here. NOW." Lyn's distressed form was the last thing that missed Damon's eye. His eyes instantly went to her neck where a wound had made its angry presence felt not too long ago. A droplet of blood still clung to her skin. "What happened?" his eyebrows creasing with worry and anger. Sure he was turning into his brooding brother soon.

"The usual. _Klausaric_ tried to use me as bait." She bit acerbically. Furious, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Elena's number after settling Jenna on the couch. She was still in a state of shock.

When the call went unanswered, Lyn couldn't keep her temper under control. She searched the library for a map of the town. Damon patiently watched her before supplying her with the needful, leaning casually against a shelf. "What are you doing?"

"Locating Elena. I've had enough people trying to kill me, and I won't stand here waiting for more." She snatched the map from Damon and set it on the huge table. Just then, Stefan walked through the door. "She's on her way."

"Brilliant!" She hoped from her seat. They had never seen Lyn so jumpy before. She noticed Jenna's silence, realizing she was still in shock.

She went to sit in front of her, looking her in the eye. "Jenna, now listen very carefully to what I'm going to say." Jenna's eyes gave away her fright.

* * *

><p>Elijah watched the progressing form of a woman towards the bench where he sat, patiently waiting for Elena. His eyes widened with pleasured surprise at the sight of Aralyn Klinsman.<p>

"I see I have a visitor." He gave a tight lipped smile. Lyn walked closer to him. "I understand that we haven't had the most cordial relationship." She began, not knowing how to continue. Elijah waited patiently.

"Walk with me my dear." His tenderness towards her took her by surprise. Lyn however chose to take his hand.

"I seek answers." She began as the two of them walked towards the pond in the periphery. "I know." He sighed.

"You hold the answers to all of Niklaus's problems." He paused before continuing. "My brother is a slave of power, stopping at nothing till he gets what he desires. Even if he might not be aware they are not his heart's." Lyn was baffled. "Klaus, is your brother?" the shocking discovery had rendered her speechless as Elijah continued explaining to her the history of the originals.

"If Klaus is of a different bloodline, what does that make him? A werewolf or a vampire?" Lyn asked cautiously as Elena joined the two of them at the Lockwood estate.

"He is both. A hybrid would be deadlier than any werewolf or vampire causing an imbalance in the state of nature. If allowed, Klaus would sire his own bloodline." A chill ran down Lyn's spine. Elijah looked at her momentarily. "And this can be done by one only as strong as him, endangering not just vampires, but everyone."

"A hybrid female." Lyn concluded, confused. He simply looked at her, analytical, comprehending. "Not necessarily." His intent gaze on Lyn made her realize what he was implying and it sounded completely unbelievable. However, she knew he was hiding something vital. She could tell from the way his jaws flexed momentarily. She was a keen observer.

"But this makes no sense. He can't procreate." Elena reasoned. "Not until his werewolf side has resurfaced, no." Elena and Lyn both wore a shocked look on their faces upon hearing Elijah.

Lyn was the first to recover. "How do we kill him?"

"There's only one way to kill a supernatural species… a witch who can channel enough power must do so when Klaus is in transition. That is when he'll be at his most vulnerable."

Lyn decided to stay back with Elijah a little longer after Elena left. She knew Damon wouldn't be too happy about her escapade. She had after all made an excuse, treading on the path of lies to visit Elijah, knowing Damon would never have consented to her idea, otherwise. It had however been necessary.

Once Elena was out of sight, Lyn turned to Elijah. "There is something you are not telling me Elijah. And it is of utmost importance I know." She questioned.

"Are you sure you'd like to hear it?" Elijah cautioned. "I would." She spoke with conviction.

After a moment's silence, he began, "The power that you possess, is like no other. You may not know how to exploit your ability to its crescendo, but Niklaus does and once he sees it, he'll want to posses every bit of it. Knowing my brother, _you_ would be his shield, his _armor_." His eyes were fixed at a distant spot. He sighed. "I suggest you exercise caution and keep your kind away when the ritual is performed. Your blood in his veins would render the arrangement worthless making him almost invincible." Lyn couldn't imagine the wickedness that was Klaus's thoughts. She tried to read the undertone to Elijah's warnings. She wondered why the most feared original would need an armor if he did possess what Elijah was calling a dual existence.

She had a million other questions to ask, but chose only the important ones. "When you spoke about Klaus siring his own bloodline, were you implying that I am Klaus's means to siring a race once the curse is broken?" her voice shook at the atrocity of the situation and the question.

"You are neither vampire, nor werewolf my dear. Your body is stronger than other humans to support a supernatural being within yourself." He stated simply. Her body tensed and her mind went numb. Lyn didn't know what her reactions should have been.

She settled on asking one last question cautiously, knowing she was treading on dangerous grounds. However, she had to know his intentions were strong. Strong enough to save her from the clutches of a vile heartless monster. "If it weren't for your family Elijah, would you have gone against your brother?" Clearly the question hadn't been one he had anticipated and one he wasn't ready to answer. Lyn waited patiently.

He chose his words carefully when he spoke. "If it weren't for family, we wouldn't be fighting now, would we?" He smiled, tightlipped before they headed towards the Salvatore Boarding House.

* * *

><p>When Lyn entered the library with Elijah, she saw it in shambles as Elena wore a frustrated look at the two warring brothers.<p>

"What happened here?" Damon's eyes widened with surprise upon noticing the way her arm was looped around Elijah's.

"Elijah and I have renewed the terms of our deal." Elena explained. However what followed wasn't a pleasant sight.

"Sacrifice will happen, Damon. Bonnie will be able to kill Klaus without hurting herself and Elijah knows how to save our lives." She continued, looking at Lyn for support. Lyn could see the change in Damon's demeanor. Anger and frustration.

"Is that true?" He questioned Elijah.

"It is." His reply was curt.

His eyes finally turned to Lyn. He could say from the look in her eyes, she was visibly shaken. The anger that he felt in the pits of his stomach did not subside however. "And you also trust him?" His tenor was acerbic, accusing, repulsive.

"I do." She replied curtly, and even though her voice shook, she stood her ground.

Damon felt betrayed. He couldn't fathom why Lyn had chosen to believe an original she would have otherwise detested, over him. Did she not believe his word to keep her safe? Did she not understand how much her life meant to him even if he hadn't already admit it to her? The pain in his heart at the abrupt turn of events threatened to overpower him, but he knew otherwise.

"You can all go to hell." He bit back snidely at the four of them and headed towards the stairs. Lyn's eyes trailed his silhouette.

"You need to give him time. He's upset with me." Her eyes were tearful. She wasn't too sure of her own reactions after the startling discovery she had made. She needed to be alone. She needed to collect herself together. The only problem was, for her _alone_ had always included Damon off late.

* * *

><p>Fury, rage, betrayal, deceit. They all seemed to carry the same weight, the same meaning for Damon. Far too many times had he been double crossed and ironically it had all been by the women he thought he loved.<p>

"I know you're mad at me." The very sound of her voice was unsettling for him. He wrestled the emotions that coursed through him, hating the fact that no matter how much he would have liked, he couldn't turn his back on them. He didn't want to, for once.

"Do the two of us a favour and get out of here." He turned around to face her, with every intention to hurt her. If she didn't understand his sentiments and value his opinion, he was under no obligation to return the same favours to her.

"The least you could do would be to allow me to explain." Her tempers were flaring, so were his. In an instant he was towering over her, black veins resurfacing as he warned snidely, "Get out the door before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out myself." She didn't need to hear the same twice. Indignation was his strongest weapon and her weakest defense although it always did hurt more when it came from him, intentionally. Wordless and tearful, she left at once, not knowing what had gone so terribly wrong for her day to end as the antithesis to the way it had begun.

No sooner had she left, than Elena walked in. "Yeah you know, you can spare me one of your miss-goody-two-shoes lectures." He snapped at her, annoyed. She simply shrugged, seemingly taking no offence.

"You really blew her off." The teen muttered, hands in her pant pockets.

"I'm staying clear off all women at the moment." He commented, taking a sip from his glass of vintage whisky. The last thing he needed was to be told the damage he had done. "You don't have to be rude."

"Trust me, it's in the best interest of women everywhere." Elena began to justify once again before Damon cut her off abruptly. "You need to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" She asked confused, cautious.

"Assuming that I'll play the good guy, because it's you who's asking." His words left a stunned Elena fixed to her spot in his room while he stepped into his shower, only to his dismay; it still carried the heavy scent of Aralyn Klinsman – Musk.

* * *

><p>The cold night air had an ominous undergo to it. Nights had never been her favourite hours. It reminded her of her lonely existence, the lone bed, the lone chair in the corner of the room. Her thoughts drifted to a certain Damon Salvatore who had momentarily made his way into her heart, substantiating the void she had felt only to leave a bigger gaping hole, instead. His reactions to her, the degree of his flaring tempers, his monstrous vampire avatar, and his rage directed towards her, giving her not so much as a chance to justify had truly hurt her beyond words could tell.<p>

Never being one for too many words, she had left silently even upon the concerned questions of an apologetic Stefan. Nonetheless, all she could think of were ways to explain to Damon the events that had coursed, for there wasn't one another she could call her own.

"I think you made it clear you didn't want to see me." The abrupt change in the direction of the wind and the easy trail of footsteps to the edge of the bed where she sat were clues enough that it was Damon.

"Yeah, I kind of had a change of heart." He muttered dryly, taking a seat beside her on the ground as she rested her back against the frame of her bed, gaze fixed at a distant spot. Her body stiffened instantly sensing his presence, uncomfortable.

"You're not the only one with a pouty little ego." She let out a small sarcastic laugh, her eyes not once wavering from their fixed gaze. Damon searched for words to form an appropriate reply when she turned around to look him in the eye, "I'm not going to let you treat me like a ragdoll Damon, so you better start watching when you speak." Her tone was harsh, only infuriating Damon further even though it shouldn't have. The pride in her eyes shone bright even though they masked a pool of affection and hurt beneath them.

"And you better start watching when you're lying." He challenged. "You could have let me explain." Lyn could feel anger rise in the pits of her stomach again, hot tears surfacing to the brink of her eyes, but she held them back. She did love him, yes. Beyond words, but her self-pride was just as much as was his.

"Your oh-so-friendly gestures did the explaining already." This feeling of jealousy hadn't been familiar – a feeling so strong, so potent, so violent, it threatened to consume him.

She sighed, defeated, exhausted. "Yea well may be they did" she breathed heavily, standing on her feet, shifting to her bed, "Now, please leave." She concluded, silently hoping he didn't. The conflict raging in her heart was a dicey one. Damon knew he had pushed her buttons too far and for an instant felt guilty seeing the dejected look on her face. Only an instant.

"You cry for a fair trial and then choose not to defend yourself counsel. Is that why they threw you from court?" His feeble attempt at sarcastic legal humor at her expense only angered her further.

"If that's your idea of an apology, you'll have to start from scratch." Her acerbic comment had no effect on Damon. He was in the least fazed. He casually plopped himself on her bed oblivious to her annoyance. Lyn chose to ignore him and pulled the comforter from underneath him, making an effort to climb onto her bed. "You'll have to try harder honey." He teased, smugly.

When she didn't utter a word Damon knew he had to set things right no matter the fact that it went completely against his ideology. "Fine. I'm… _sorry_." He muttered almost painfully standing before her and it almost made Lyn smile. Almost. "You're making me a Stefan." His dismayed features were a delight.

"You wouldn't have agreed if I told you I was meeting Elijah." Her voice was almost a faint whisper, her eyes not quite meeting his. She couldn't fathom why she had so easily forgiven him even when her pride hadn't permitted her to do so. Her resolve to his unacceptable behavior wasn't as strong as she'd have like to believe.

"Yeah that's because I don't think big bro original vampire would want to kill kid bro original hybrid without a cause or a favor in return." He retorted. "What part of I don't trust him do you not get?"

"But it was absolutely necessary, Damon." She stated forcefully iterating to him the disturbing conversation. The words that escaped her mouth send a chilling sensation numbing her whole body as she struggled to go on. The uncertainty that lay ahead was nothing but a wretched ache that left an ugly wound.

The anger in Damon's mind was slowly catapulting to rage and fury hearing those words. He couldn't imagine the monster in close vicinity of his lady. The contradictory actions and expressions on her troubled face, her trembling form, the strain in her voice only made Damon realize further the situation she had been wedged in, and her helplessness in the entire ordeal. How very tragic it seemed that both the brothers had fallen for the women who were doomed without their knowledge.

No! Damon wouldn't agree to the fact that she was doomed. She was a fighter and so was he and he would fight even if it meant unto his last – for her, for him.

"I can't just sit here doing nothing about it, Damon and I'm tired. I'm tired of this nuisance." Her voice was hoarse, thick with emotion but not a tear escaped her emoting eyes as she looked at the lone moon in the night sky. Suddenly she could relate to its loneliness.

She felt Damon's strong grip on her shoulders, his intense blue eyes meeting her hazel ones. She could see the depths of hurt, passion, fury, grief… love all assorted in an unsure comportment. "I've lost enough, Lyn…" he began, the conviction in his voice infusing life into her. "I have very little to keep and call my own and I'm very possessive." The change in his tenor, the menacing undertone to his otherwise sultry voice was like melody to Lyn's ears. "I am not losing you and there is nothing you can do to keep me from protecting you to my last."

She stood frozen to the ground, looking at him as his eyes peered into her very soul leaving her exposed. She had been too stunned by his honesty, the admission of his stalwartness, the depth of his protectiveness towards her, the passion he felt towards her. Overwhelmed by the power of his affections, she couldn't control the lone tear that threatened to spill from the corner of her eyes. There stood a man before her who was willing to fight for her, who was telling her that he would be her safe haven, who was willing to shoulder her burden, to whom she meant more than his life, even if he did not voice the same. At the instant she knew he had earned her gratitude, respect and a love so strong that she knew she would never love another ever again. Little did she know, Damon's mind was a replica of hers and that no matter how they fought, the disagreements they had, there existed a bond so strong between them that breaking it would need more than just a breach of trust and a spark of rage.

Here stood a man who claimed that he didn't have a heart only to prove the contrary to her everytime she found herself in peril and otherwise. Here was a man she could call her own.

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><p><em> Do review! :)<em>


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